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aesopsharpmybeloved · 6 months

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A Night To Remember

The term-end ball reveals a few new facts. For one, Aesop Sharp is a delightful dancer, and for two, he's in for the long run.

I would be desperately lost without my amazing consultant and partner in crime @tea-withjamandbread who gave me several wonderful ideas to use in this work 💕

A Night To Remember (11.3k words)

tw: suggestive themes (heavily implied), teacher-student relationship (reader is an adult)

Headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black was disliked by a large number of students and staff alike for many reasons. However, his end-of-term balls weren’t one of them.

Not that the headmaster held them out of the goodness of his heart. For him, they were a way to show off in front of the Board of Governors and important people he managed to silver-tongue into attending, and therefore the rest of wizarding Britain, that Hogwarts was a place of high class and culture. Despite the mud- despite there being students from less prestigious families.

Of course, he couldn't concern himself with such trivial matters as planning, he had his important headmaster duties! Therefore, this responsibility fell, once more, at the deputy Headmistress' feet. Matilda Weasley took it in her stride however, gathered a number of the more creative and sensible students, and went to town on the planning.

And, of course, once the esteemed guests of Headmaster Black arrived, the man himsef gladly accepted all of the praise as if it was he who decorated the entire Great Hall all by himself.

Despite their idiotic Headmaster, however, everyone involved in actually making the ball a reality was looking forward to the evening. Seventh years in particular were very emotional about it, as only a few days after the ball, they'd board the Hogwarts Express for the very last time.

Well, almost all of them. You were planning no such thing as getting aboard the train.

—

“I see you’ve been busy,” said Aesop quietly behind you as you hung another flashy garland of little golden snitches that were quietly buzzing and flying around an invisible orbit in various directions upon one of the beams of the Great Hall. You smiled when you felt his presence, resisting the urge to immediately turn around and kiss him hello - after all, you weren’t alone in the large room, some of your friends and other classmates were currently doing their best to transform it into a perfect space for a ball as well.

Truth be told, a lot of people knew by now, and those who didn’t know explicitly absolutely heard the rumours about their potions master and a seventh-year Ravenclaw keeping a secret relationship. Some even referred to it as ‘Hogwarts’ worst kept secret’. The only person whom neither of you wanted to find out was Black, as he’d surely be an arse about it, worrying about you ‘tarnishing the image of the school, and therefore HIM as well’. Luckily, Black was about as perceptive as a patch of moss, so you were quite safe, really.

One time he nearly caught the two of you. You were in Aesop’s office, playing your favourite little game of seduction, trying to see which one of you would crack first under the relentless flirting and teasing. Well, Aesop was currently leaning against the shelf behind you, so close you felt the heat radiating off his tall body as it cornered you, so close you felt his hot breath on your face as he made promises about what he was going to do to you once the door of his chambers closed behind you two when you heard the sound of the door opening. Ever the quick thinker, Aesop took hold of a jar of ingredients next to your head before swiftly moving back into an acceptable distance.

“I do not do this often, Miss (L/N), you best be ready in your next class with me. I will want the-” he quickly actually checked the contents of the jar, “those pickled shrivelfig fruits back.” He then turned around to face whoever he was going to hex into next week for disturbing him like this without showing the basic human decency of knocking before entering. Headmaster Black. Aesop momentarily entertained the fantasy of casting a jelly-leg jinx on the pretentious prick and wiping his memory afterwards but managed to hold himself back.

The Headmaster looked like he didn’t just see one of his employees and the student ‘who caused him so much trouble since the day she entered the castle’ pressed almost body to body and a second away from a ferocious kiss, buying Aesop’s ruse instantly.

“Sharp! I need to speak to you about a few potions I need you to brew,” Black said in his pompous accent, puffing his chest out and standing with all the straightness of a man with a broomstick up his rear. Neither of you moved, but you could hear the tiniest of sighs leaving Aesop’s lips.

“Of course, sir,” he said, his voice much more pleasant than the storm inside of his eyes. If looks could set someone’s beard on fire, the Headmaster would be in dire need of Aguamenti. There were several seconds of pregnant silence before Black spoke again: “Are you positively daft, girl? I want to speak to your professor in private, you’ve got the ingredient you were too dull to get yourself, you may be gone now. Have you not your studies to attend to?”

“Of course, professor,” you spoke, your voice completely unbothered, almost bored, as if he didn’t just attempt to insult you, and you walked to the door, head held high. Before you closed the door behind yourself, however, you caught Aesop’s eyes. Black had his back to you, so you stuck your tongue out at him and grinned. Aesop did not react outwardly, but you could see the amused little glint in his dark eyes.

“A knut for your thoughts,” said a melodic baritone behind you, automatically making your face spread into a smile. “Thinking about Black,” you admitted and watched in amusement as Aesop walked into your field of view to give you a slightly concerned expression. “Imagining him falling into a cart of dragon dung I hope, else I cannot explain you smiling.” The smile turned into a full grin: “Something like that.”

He watched you work for a bit, lending a helping hand once or twice. “Hope I have not forgotten how to dance entirely… It's been a few years,” he said casually, leaning against a wall and watching your classmates go about their tasks with mild interest. Feeling cheeky, you decided to toy with him a little.

“Oh, will you be dancing? With whom?” you asked in a cheery conversational tone. Instantly, you could very nearly hear the gears and cogs in his head begin to turn, trying to figure out just what you were playing at. Your back was turned to him, so you could grin mischievously to your heart's content. After a few moments, he finally spoke: “Whom will you be dancing with?”

You turned around and put your forefinger to your chin. With a slightly tilted head, pursed lips, and eyes turned towards the ceiling, you were the perfect exaggeration of a person lost in thought. “Hmm,” you murmured, “oh, I don’t know. No one’s asked me to be their date for the ball.”

It dawned on Aesop then, that despite the two of you being in a romantic relationship for half a year now, spending a lot of time with one another and sharing a bed more often than not these days, he never actually asked you to accompany him to the ball.

He did ask Dinah whether she thought a teacher could even accompany a student as a date to the ball, as he wasn’t able to gather enough nerve to actually ask Matilda who was sure to know. Well, Dinah’s ‘Who cares? She’s an adult, she’s done with exams, and besides everyone will be too busy trying to sneak in booze, or trying to sneak away with their date.’ was as good an answer as any. So Aesop let it be, automatically presuming they’d be going together. A bit of a shortcoming on his part, that he could admit.

“Oh my,” he said in a low voice filled with amusement, “rather a cad, aren’t I? Making you wait so long for an invitation. Shall I take an example out of your classmates, and serenade my invitation to you in the Transfiguration courtyard? Or perhaps leave a rhymed note and a dozen roses at your usual place at the Ravenclaw table?” Resisting an urge to chuckle, you thought some more. “Now, those are very tempting indeed, however, I think I’d prefer you to carry me off the Astronomy tower on a Hippogriff's back,” you said then, a cheeky smile on your face.

“Astronomy tower you say? Hmm… Quite an interesting suggestion, I give you that. Well, I think I’ll take a chance and ask you like a normal human being now and hope for the best. Will you accompany me to this silly little night-do?”

After a few seconds of silence, during which you appeared to be very deep in thought, complete with occasional murmuring, you decided to quit teasing him. For now. “How could I ever say no to the esteemed potions master of Hogwarts?” The look you gave him then was one of devotion. It was the essence of a kiss, of a lingering embrace, disguised as a tilt of the head, a slow blink of your eyes, and a content smile. And what do you get in return? That rare grin of his, the impish curl of his lips that your classmates got to see only a few times during their years as his students. It was so familiar to you now, and still, every time you saw it felt like the first.

“(F/N)! A little help here please?” came Samantha Dale’s voice from somewhere near the High table. You gave your lover one last smile before turning around to go to your housemate's aid, but a large hand grabbed at your bicep gently and you stopped in your tracks.

“Come see me after dinner? We could take a bath, maybe have some fun…” asked Aesop quietly, a brilliant sparkle to his large dark eyes.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world, Ace.”

—

The day of the ball passed in a flurry of robes and gowns. Students were nearly buzzing in anticipation since early morning, many of them not talking about anything other than the upcoming event. Some ate barely any breakfast and lunch, simply because they wanted to have space in their bellies for the fantastic food that was bound to be on the ball. Well, that, and many were simply too anxious to stomach anything. Funnily, a few individuals seemed to be in a worse state than they were before the end-of-term exams, OWLs and even NEWTs. Amit, in particular, looked paler than he looked after your little goblin mine adventure when Adelaide told him the 7th years were to lead the opening dance of the evening. Poor lad.

To be entirely honest, you weren’t completely calm yourself. While you weren’t bowing before the toilet bowl or having a mental breakdown because a pimple chose to appear on your forehead at such inopportune time, there was a fluttering in your belly whenever you imagined yourself in a few hours, holding onto your sweetheart in front of the whole school, swaying with him to the music. Goodness…

You’ve never danced with him before. Come to think of it, you haven’t danced since Professor Fig came to announce to you and your parents that you were a witch… You weren’t exactly worried about having forgotten the moves - after all, your parents made your dancing instructor make sure you’d be able to perform flawless waltz right after being woken up at three in the morning but… what if wizards danced differently?

Merlin’s beard!

You didn’t think about that at all! Stupid, stupid! What if you embarrass yourself in front of Aesop… heavens, what if you embarrass him in front of everyone? The thought filled you with dread.

It was so strange - you only ever enjoyed the dance lessons when you were younger as they allowed you to have at least some fun among the otherwise dull lessons in etiquette and mildly interesting classes taught in a way more boring than those of Professor Binns. Back then you wouldn’t give a rat’s arse about embarrassing either yourself or your parents when it finally came to your dreaded debutante ball, but this… This felt different. It was different. You weren’t getting dragged among the snobs of England’s high society to show potential suitors that you were fair game now.

No… This was an evening you were going to spend celebrating your studies, the friendships you’ve made, and the adventures you had while studying at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And you were going to do so not being displayed as a pretty little plaything available for the highest bidder, but by the side of a man to whom you already belonged. Whom you loved. Who knew that you were a living breathing woman and not a decoration for his home or his family tree. So of course you didn’t want to embarrass him…

However, the more you thought about it, the more the idea of Aesop resenting you for embarrassing him on the dancefloor seemed ridiculous to you.

After all, It was Aesop Sharp.

You were observing your reflection anxiously. You made an honest effort to look your absolute best - your hair was done elegantly and fashionably, your eyebrows were neat and tidy, there was a blush to your cheeks and you put some light lip rouge on your mouth. Your features were only slightly enhanced but still looked gentle and natural. You chose a dark blue gown with dark lace and silver details. Not too huge, not too frilly, short-sleeved, and surprisingly quite comfortable. Your earrings went well with the dress and your shoes were enchanted with a cushioning charm, making them feel like plush slippers.

All in all, you thought you looked quite beautiful… You only hoped your sweetheart would be of a similar opinion.

You were to meet him at the very bottom of the Ravenclaw tower, which was to walk to the Great Hall via the Viaduct bridge, as opposed to using the Moving staircase and risking breaking your leg on one of the disappearing steps. They were quite easy to jump over when you were wearing your uniform, but your current ensemble wasn’t really made for skipping over gaps in a staircase.

You met Amit just as he seemed to consider whether to open the door of the Ravenclaw common room or rather run to his dorm. You gently laid your hand on his shoulder, prompting him to startle and turn around to face you. “(F-F/N)!” he stuttered as his eyes took you in. “Y-you look… very beautiful.” You gave your classmate a smile: “You look quite handsome yourself.” It was the truth, the Head Boy looked very smart and charming in his dress robes, his soft features making him look like some sort of foreign prince. Though he’d look even better if he wasn’t constantly pulling at his sleeves or obsessively fixing his bowtie, making it even more askew each time. “Adelaide will think so too. I’m sure she’s very excited about the evening.”

Your two friends bonded over his fascination with goblins, and Adelaide becoming her uncle’s right hand in his metal trading business, therefore inevitably coming into contact with them. At the sound of her name, Amit froze momentarily.

“I-... I’m not sure if I should… What if I embarrass myself out there? Or, Merlin forbid, what if I embarrass her? What if I forget the moves, or step on her toes?”

And at that moment, it hit you. Everyone was worried about the same thing as you. And this knowledge, surprisingly, brought you peace. “Oh, come now, Amit,” you gave his shoulder a light pat, before stepping directly in front of him to fix his robes for him. “It’ll be alright. Really. You won’t forget the steps, because in the years I have known you, I’ve never once witnessed you forget something. And, well, if you do step on her toes, you’ll apologise and try not to do so again. You will hardly be the only person to do so… Poor Natty, her feet are going to hurt like the devil from how Sebastian will trample over them. People will only look at us for a little while, and then everyone will start dancing too, and it’ll be only Addie looking at you.”

Amit seemed to be taking in your words, not knowing that they brought you the same comfort as they did to him. He took several deep breaths. “Alright,” he said at last, “I… Thank you, (F/N). You’re right, it will be fine. After all… it is just a student ball and not a goblin mine filled with Ranrok’s loyalists, right?” His eyes twinkled in good humour as he spoke, a careful smile seeping into his expression. You grinned in reply: “Exactly! The thing you have to watch out for is neither a crossbow nor an axe, but rather Garreth attempting to spike the punch, or Everett throwing a Dungbomb to, heh, ‘lighten the atmosphere’.”

Amit chuckled: “You’re right… I should go meet Adelaide then, shouldn’t I?”

You walked a bit behind him after wishing him good luck, but unlike Amit who took off in the direction of Hufflepuff common room upon reaching the mezzanine floor, you walked further down the stairs, the Viaduct entrance slowly coming into view.

And there he was.

Your eyes instantly found him among the small crowd of students, a few couples, and several boys also waiting for their partners. Aesop stood to the side, looking slightly awkward, his expression unreadable as he waited. Your breath caught in your throat and your heart skipped a beat. You stopped in your tracks momentarily, swallowing heavily.

Aesop looked breathtaking. He always looked handsome, neat, and well put together with a roguish kind of aura, but this evening he was simply magnificent. His robes were obviously brand new and tailored to fit him perfectly. They hug his large, lean body perfectly, his considerable height even more obvious in the long black overcoat. His high leather boots were replaced with polished ballroom shoes and his tie with a dark green bowtie. His hair was neater and shinier, his stubble groomed to perfection.

Taking a deep breath to calm your wildly beating heart, you continued your descent down the stairs, your heels clicking against the stone steps softly. A few people noticed you, some stared for a bit, but you didn’t pay them any mind, your eyes boring into the single person there who mattered.

And then your gazes connected.

You saw his dark eyes widen and mouth open slightly as he took in a sudden breath. Feeling a flush enter your cheeks, you smiled and dropped your head for a second before looking up again. Aesop was walking towards you as if he was in a trance, his eyes not leaving you, barely even blinking. Closer now, you saw his awe in them, the astonishment, and your face got even warmer under his intense look.

You stopped three feet away from one another, neither of you speaking for a while, too busy committing this moment to your memory. “Hello,” you said finally, your voice slightly breathy, but your lips spreading into a smile. “Hello,” he repeated, his own voice low and raspy, his eyes still drinking you up thirstily. “Oh, sweetheart…” he said then, finally connecting your gaze again, “ you look… otherworldly stunning. Like a dream.” “So do you,” you whispered in reply.

“I… I’m having a lot of trouble resisting kissing you right now…” he admitted quietly, but instead of closing the distance and kissing your lips, he gently took hold of your hand and lifted it, bending himself in the waist to bring it to his lips. They felt deliciously soft and scorching against the tender skin of your knuckles. He pressed kiss after kiss onto your hand with utmost reverence, holding it with both of his now, like it was a precious fragile treasure. Finally, he straightened up again, his eyes positively shining in the viaduct entrance’s dull lighting. He then brought your hand to his right arm and began leading you to the heavy doors leading to the bridge, standing taller than you’ve ever seen him, his steps sure and his limp nowhere to be seen. It hit you then that he was feeling proud to walk with you by his side, holding onto him, and this knowledge was what made you feel weak in the knees, glad to be able to lean into him, your heart thumping loudly in your chest.

“Aesop?” you said softly as you unhurriedly made your way over the bridge. “What is it, my love?” he replied in that completely content tone you only ever heard at night as you were lying, spent and comfortable in each other’s embrace. “Do wizards… do wizards dance the same as muggles?” The professor thought for a while, the fingers of his left hand stroking along your own where they were curled around his arm.

“Oh. I entirely forgot that this is your first time attending…”

The ball was cancelled during your fifth year, as the school was recovering from Ranrok’s attack, not to mention grieving professor Fig. And last year, well… Last year the headmaster fell victim to a rather ill-tempered Chinese chomping cabbage on one of his rare visits to the Greenhouses. Actually, you were there to witness it, along with your classmates. You could see the majority of them balling their hands into fists and breathing deeply to keep themselves from bursting into laughter. The ever-collected Phineas Nigellus Black squealed like a little girl as the magical vegetable closed its fangs around his ankle. You were having very a hard time keeping your chuckles in as well.

Black kept trying to shake and kick it off, cursing loudly the whole time, but it was only Professor Garlick who finally managed to get the cabbage to loosen its grip on the man’s leg. There was a bit of blood, and the Headmaster had to be led to the Hospital wing, but you had no doubts the greatest injury was the one done to his pride. Black ended up with a two-week limp, and it was enough to get the ball cancelled.

That is, the official reason was that ‘The school simply doesn't have the resources this year, new books were bought, so were new chairs and desks for this and that classroom, not to mention the cost of Golden Snitches for the Quidditch matches. Simply enough, not a knut can be spared this year, condolences’, but everyone knew Black was simply too vain to be seen by his esteemed guests in anything else than perfect condition.

This was later confirmed by Aesop himself, during one of your back-then platonic meetings over tea. The potions master seemed to be fuming when you came in, and you immediately offered to come by later, but to your surprise, he asked you to stay and tell him about your day. As you did, you saw the tension in his shoulders slowly disappearing and saw him stop clenching his teeth. “Do you want to talk about what happened, sir?” you asked back then. “It’s nothing of importance, really,” he said, “just… Headmaster Black probably never heard the word ‘tact’ in his life.” The ex-auror proceeded to tell you that he was present in the room when Black told Professor Weasley about his intention to cancel the term-end ball. ‘Can you imagine the Board of Governors, not to mention former minister McPhail, witnessing me with a limp? How utmostly disgraceful and embarrassing!’ was basically what the Headmaster said.

“To be entirely honest, I felt a strong urge to hex our dear Headmaster. I surely hope you’ll keep this information to yourself,” Aesop finished by saying.

“I hope you’ll do the same, sir, upon me stating that I’d like to find the cabbage that took a bite out of him and put it into his bed.”

A little smile played on the potions master’s lips at your words.

In the end, there wasn’t a ball, but rather a little gathering of seventh years, sixth years, and a few teachers, over at The Three Broomsticks. Despite it not being the grand ball some older students kept going on and on about, it turned out to be a very pleasant and fun evening. There was no dancing, not sober ballroom one at least, but there was food, there were drinks, and there was the company of your friends. A pleasant and fun evening indeed.

Now, however, dancing was one of the key ingredients.

“Yes… It’s a shortcoming on my part, I spent all this time helping prepare for the ball that I didn’t for one second think the dancing may be different…”

“Hm… Do you know how to dance waltz?” Aesop asked after a while, just as you reached the viaduct courtyard, lit by quaint lanterns of various shapes and sizes. “Yes, of course!” you replied immediately, prompting your lover to chuckle shortly.

“You’ll be absolutely fine then. It’s quite similar, and you are a quick learner. And besides, I may have… practised a bit beforehand, just to sort of refresh the skill, and I’m fairly confident I’ll be able to lead you.” While your heart was still pounding, your nerves slightly lessened, and you found yourself leaning into him a little closer. Soon, the two of you entered the Great Hall, and while you were there for the vast majority of its preparation, your breath was still taken away by the sight which awaited you.

You've seen some nice-looking banquets and dinner parties, but a single second in the grand room managed to put all of them to utmost shame. The Great Hall appeared even greater than ever before, there were smaller tables set by the walls instead of the large tables for the four Hogwarts houses, and one larger, but not nearly as large as the High table that usually stood in its place. All throughout the hall were banquet tables with various nibbles and drinks, and it was there many of your classmates fluttered about the most currently.

The beauty of the room was nearly overwhelming. Yes, your fellow students and you did a fair bit of work, but it seemed many of the teachers then secretly contributed as well. You recognised Professor Ronen's handiwork within the sparks of various colours above all of your heads in intricate patterns, and of course, the floral decorations upon the tables were courtesy of Professor Garlick, not a single one of them the same as another. The enchanted ceiling seemed even more full of stars, and every few seconds, a constellation formed out of nothing, glimmering brightly.

"Everything looks so beautiful," you said just loud enough for Aesop to hear, "Everybody looks so beautiful…" You truly meant it. Everyone seemed to have done their best to appear neat and put together, the girls and women were dressed in beautiful gowns of all cuts and colours, and the gents looked so very smart and elegant. But none of them could hold a candle to Aesop. And by the way he was looking at you… "And you most of all," he said.

"So, do tell, are teachers required to attend?" You asked as you took the scenic route through the room, with you eagerly eyeing and admiring everything, and Aesop merely seeming glad to be able to walk with you and hold you. "It's greatly encouraged. That is, despite me being grumpier than a hungry wolf," you giggled softly, "I don't think I ever decided not to attend. The house elves outdo themselves when it comes to food on these balls, and it's after all one of the last chances to talk with the graduating students. And, if nothing else, I just kept an eye on them, chatting with my colleagues."

"So these little… amuse-bouches are just available throughout the evening, but there's also dinner?"

"Precisely. A variety of items to choose from, cooked to perfection."

"And then?"

"Then? Dancing. Mingling… after the younger students, fifth years and younger to be precise, leave, the rest can indulge in a little alcohol. That is, once the Headmaster and his esteemed guests have left as well."

Aesop pointed towards the larger table at the far end of the hall and, sure enough, Phineas Nigellus Black was currently sitting there, caught in a discussion with an older, pompous-looking gentleman, whose face you recognised from some picture in the Daily Prophet. "That's the chief of the Department of Magical Games and Sports," clarified Aesop, "no doubt the Headmaster's feeding him stories about how every faculty member except him insisted on Quidditch being cancelled two years ago."

You scoffed, but tore your eyes away, choosing instead to focus on more joyous matters at hand: "So. Shall we sit somewhere?" Aesop looked around the room: "Well… it would seem there are no free tables. We could always sit somewhere that has only first years and hope that I'll scare them away, or…?" You followed his gaze. It fell onto a table not far to your right. Only two spaces remained, as the others were filled by Professor Hecat, Professor Ronen with a beautiful plump older lady you presumed to be his wife, Professor Onai, and rather uncomfortable-looking Natty and Sebastian.

"Outnumbered," you pointed out with a cheeky grin, but nevertheless began walking towards the table.

"Good evening," you greeted politely, giving the company a smile. Natty and Sebastian looked unsure whether you were their salvation, or if the awkwardness was just about to get worse, but you still shortly squeezed each of their hands. The teachers, however, seemed to be in rather good spirits, welcoming the two of you warmly.

Aesop gentlemanly pulled out your chair, one next to Natty, and helped push it back after you've sat down, sitting down himself afterwards. There was a moment of quiet before Sebastian blurted out: "Y-you look… good. Your dress is nice." After your exchange before this very room half a year ago, things were a little awkward for a while, and they stayed that way until you let Sebast know just why it wasn't him for whom your heart beat. Surprisingly, he took the news quite well, and your friendship healed, piece by piece.

The look Natty gave you was one that made you blush, and you were very glad when a glass of wine materialised in front of you. But then - "Wait, didn't you say that alcohol was only, well, permitted, after the younger students left?" Instead of Aesop, however, it was Dinah who answered you: "Indeed. However, seeing as we've got you outnumbered, this is considered a teachers' table. And, as teachers, we've got a few advantages… or do you think we'd patiently wait through the Headmaster's speech and the following three hours of the young ones being all over the place without a single drop?"

You had to nod your head and chuckle. Looking to your left, you saw both of your friends also took the opportunity to taste their wine and possibly make an undoubtedly unorthodox situation feel more natural. You covered your mouth to hide your smile when Sebastian struggled to not stick out his tongue in distaste once he tasted the beverage.

It got a little easier after that - the company chose their dinner and you did so as well, pheasant breast with roasted potatoes and fresh vegetables. Delicious, but not overly heavy, the wine went with the meal amazingly.

After everyone was done with their dinner, and the Great Hall was once more overtaken by its usual noise of students and faculty alike talking amongst themselves, you were happy to find the atmosphere at your table much lighter than it was an hour ago. You even engaged in several conversations with your professors, their demeanour so much more relaxed than you've ever witnessed during classes. That is, except for Professor Ronen, as he was already very laid back and jovial even in settings much more professional than this one. What's more, he and Professor Hecat both knew of your and Aesop's romance quite early on and, if at all possible, were treating you even more warmly since then.

Then, Phineas Nigellus Black's voice cut through the air. "Your attention, please," he said. The Great Hall got progressively quieter and quieter until one could hear a pin drop. "Time has come to wrap up another successful year at Hogwarts. I am very glad that after two years, we were able to once more make this little celebration of ours a reality. Dear graduates, please accept my congratulations on your successful finish of your education here at Hogwarts, and my sincere gratitude to the staff for making it possible. I raise my goblet to you all, graduates, teachers, and students alike, and I wish you all a pleasant holiday, and of course, to you, seventh years, a successful start into your new lives."

The Headmaster's speech was not bad at all, but it was not nearly enough to erase your distaste for the man. "Written by Matilda, word for word," Aesop whispered into your ear helpfully. "However," the Headmaster continued, "this is, after all, a ball. Let us not embarrass ourselves in the company of our esteemed guests. So, whenever you're ready…"

"I think that's our cue," said Aesop, gently pulling you out of your seat.

You felt anxiety slowly creeping back into your gut as Aesop led you over to a spot on the dance floor he deemed acceptable for the two of you. Your legs suddenly felt like they were made out of lead, and you were panicking somewhat, looking around the room at your classmates. “Sweetheart, right here,” Aesop said, and though the room wasn’t quiet by any means, you heard his voice clearly over the white noise of people murmuring between themselves, the rustling of robes and gowns, the occasional squeak of shoes against the floor.

You raised your eyes to meet his, impossibly dark. “Just look me in the eyes, and let me lead you. It’ll be lovely, I promise.” You nodded and offered a little smile. “Alright. Just like a regular waltz, your left hand right … here, your right… There we go.” His right hand rested on your waist securely, the left one holding yours. You took a deep breath.

“Ehm! Well, let’s start, shall we? Music!” Headmaster Black’s shrill voice rang through the large room, and a few seconds later, dulcet tones of the orchestra began reverberating through the Great hall. You didn't even have time to ask where to step first when Aesop started moving, his hold on you so strong and steady, that you couldn't help but follow. "Two, three, four…" he counted just loud enough for you to hear, and you immediately found yourself connecting his words with the movements he was doing and making you do. "One, two, three, four, now change hands," you switched the positions of your hands, so he was now holding onto your left one.

With a few more changes like this, you began feeling more confident - it really was like a slightly extended version of waltz. While you were more than comfortable letting him lead, feeling all kinds of warm as he effortlessly made your body do his bidding, all the while looking majestic and elegant. "Now brace yourself," and with that, he grabbed onto your waist and lifted you into the air, spinning with you. You could faintly see the other girls being spun in the air, but just barely - Aesop had all of your attention. "See, you've got it, you're doing wonderfully," he said with a smile, never once ceasing your dance.

Before long, you span with him gladly, your feet synchronised with his flawlessly, your movements copying the rhythm of the music. Aesop swept you off your feet, and you loved it, you wanted to be swept away by him, swept, rocked, and spun. He was a mighty tidal wave and you were there to enjoy the ride. Soon, way too soon, you heard the song coming to an end, and Aesop finished your dance by elegantly returning to the starting position, settling just as the last note rang through the air.

Applause broke out around the Great Hall. "Very good, very good. Nice job seventh years … and their partners…" said Black from behind his podium, "the music will resume shortly."

"See, I told you it's going to be lovely," your sweetheart said with a pleased grin, "wasn't it?"

"It was, Merlin, it was amazing. But now that I know how amazingly you dance, I think I'll want to do that often…" you admitted letting your hands stroke his strong shoulders subconsciously.

"Hm, we've got the entire night. And the night after that. And the following one too."

And just like that, something inside of you snapped and you couldn't stop yourself anymore. Absolutely uncaring, you stood up on your tiptoes and captured his lips in a kiss.

It wasn't a long kiss, nor one too passionate, but it was thunderous nonetheless. You couldn't care less who could be watching, or what they would think. You loved this man with all of your heart, and you were done with being quiet about it. You looked into his eyes right after you pulled back to find them wide and dark, his mouth still slightly open. "Is that alright?" You asked carefully. Your reply was his arms around your waist and his hot lips on yours once more.

"It's more than alright."

A few hours, some more nibbles, and two butterbeers later, it was time for the younger students to retire to their common rooms, and only the seventh years and adult sixth years were allowed to remain. It was when teachers turned a blind eye to the consumption of alcohol, a few of them even sharing a drink with some of their soon-to-be former students. Aesop too was one of those who were sought out for this very reason. It was not at all surprising to see Garreth Weasley offering a tumbler of golden honey-coloured liquor to the potions master, the professor sniffing at it suspiciously.

“Come on, Professor Sharp,” Garreth laughed jovially, "I promise, it’s just good old Firewhisky, I have not done anything to it.”

“Then you won’t mind if I ask for the other glass you’re holding, will you?”

“Ever the Auror, eh? Heh, absolutely, there you go sir.”

Aesop clinked his glass against Garreth’s and took a careful sip. He rolled the liquid on his tongue for a bit, trying to catch a taste of anything other than the rich-smelling alcohol, but after he swallowed and felt no immediate consequences, he allowed himself to relax. Garreth meanwhile continued to chuckle as he threw back his own drink in a single gulp, hissing at the burn.

“Only a few more days to go, I’m not as dumb as to risk losing that E you gave me on my NEWTs essay.”

“You’re not stupid and never have been. Reckless and a thorn in my side, yes, but never stupid. You’ve got potential. Try not to blow yourself up into pieces before you can reach it, alright?”

Garreth looked like he was ready to punch the air in euphoria as the professor extended his right hand towards him, but instead, the ginger lad just gripped it tightly and shook it. “That was quite lovely,” you said with a smile once Garreth left you two alone once more, his mouth spread into a victorious grin. “Well, I do have my moments,” replied Aesop with a little smile of his own before taking a gentle hold of your own hand, “come on, let’s dance some more.”

And that was that.

You danced, you talked, you drank. You tried Firewhisky again, a different brand this time. It was sweeter than the one you tried on Christmas Eve, but still not something you could see yourself actively seeking out. Unless it was drunk off Aesop’s lips, of course. Then it was an entirely different story.

It was around Midnight when you started becoming quite tipsy. The party was in full swing around you, your classmates’ inhibitions were loosened under the influence of alcohol, and even the normally quiet ones were frivolously hoofing it off on the dance floor, laughing and talking excitedly among themselves. Even the often sullen Ominis Gaunt was chuckling as he, a little clumsily, spun Poppy Sweeting around, the alcoholic flush combined with the warmth of the room clearly evident upon his pale cheeks. Poppy didn’t seem to mind they were entirely out of rhythm, having the time of her life having fun with her human friends, instead of just the animal ones.

Amit was caught in an amicable discussion with Sebastian, obviously having had a bit too much, if the hiccoughs interrupting his impassioned monologue about Goblins and his consequent giggling was of any proof, but Sebastian still listened with interest, his view of Goblinkind having shifted considerably since his fifth year.

It was when you accidentally stepped on Aesop’s foot for the third time in the span of ten minutes, that you decided it was high time to take a little break and sober up a bit. You took several gulps of cold water before Aesop carefully led you away from the hustle and bustle of the Great Hall. Soon you found yourselves at the Quad courtyard. The air of the early summer night felt fresh and crisp, and a sweet flowery aroma was wafting through it gently.

The alcohol haze dissipated somewhat thanks to the water you drank and the cool air against your warmed skin, yet you remained feeling buzzed and giddy, hanging onto Aesop’s arm and happily engaging in cheeky conversation, letting him tease you and enjoying every minute of it. “Feeling better?” he asked as you once more entered the castle, taking a corridor that would slowly lead you back to the Great Hall. “Very much so,” you agreed with a smile, “although I wasn’t feeling really bad to begin with. Maybe a bit lightheaded at most, and that I blame on the dancer who spun me around again and again.

The professor’s dark chuckle was your only answer, the sound echoing off the stony walls. It felt nearly surreal how quiet the castle got at night. Hogwarts never got this quiet during the day, not even in the library, because of the omnipresence of its inhabitants, both living and not. This evening, however, it seemed like a powerful silencing charm was placed upon the large corridors, not even the sound of the ball nearby could be heard. In the still and the quiet, it felt like it was just the two of you, the sound of your hearts beating the only thing unafraid to penetrate the silence.

You startled a bit as your lover suddenly stopped walking, causing you to collide with him slightly. Raising your eyes, you observed him questioningly but found him not looking at you, but rather to your left. You turned your head.

Next to you on the wall was a full-body mirror, just large enough to capture the two of you in its reflection. Fully turned towards it now, you slowly pulled at his arm which you were still holding, motioning for it to curl around your waist, which it did. His other arm joined in, and soon you had Aesop’s strong chest pressed against your back, his chin and jaw gently brushing over the right side of your head.

To an untrained eye perhaps, the two of you could look like something of an odd couple. Despite all of Aesop’s handsomeness and rugged charm, it was very obvious he was considerably older than you. His face bore the lines of time, life lived before you were born, the scar on his cheek a testament to many adventures and dangers, during which you weren’t present, while the smooth, flushed apples of your cheeks stood in absolute contrast against it. As did your hands, which came to rest upon his own, the skin on them weathered and calloused. These hands held unimaginable strength, both physical and magical.

An odd couple? To some, perhaps.

But you knew better.

While Aesop was every bit as strong and tough as he looked, you knew that behind that roughened face and calloused hands was a gentle man, a kind soul, and an artistic spirit. Someone who dared to dream when he was younger, and someone who was just rediscovering his courage to do so again. And you? You weren’t pristine. You saw too much death and suffering in your young life, so much more than any person should ever see. You were put through challenges and dangers that would keep even wizards older and more experienced than yourself up at night.

And yet, here you were, two decidedly flawed odd birds standing in a heartfelt embrace, your connection one built upon mutual trust, respect, and an overwhelming amount of love.

You let your head fall back slightly to rest against his shoulder, revelling in his warmth. “I think we’re a rather charming couple,” you said at last. Odd? Maybe at first. But after a while, anyone would see your eyes, they would see that each other’s arms is exactly where the two of you belong.

“You know what… I’m rather inclined to agree. Although you're the one who brings about 95% of charm into the relationship,” he whispered against your ear, prompting you to grin. “I suppose we cannot agree on everything all the time,” you sighed, “and this is one of the instances.” His chuckle made you lightly shiver as his hot breath tickled the soft skin of your ear and neck: “Be that as it may, there was actually something else I wanted to do, and this mirror is just perfect for it.”

Slowly, his right hand slipped from your hold and disappeared into his dress robes’ inner breast pocket. When it reappeared, you saw something glisten brightly in it, but before you could question what it was, his other hand also left your waist and came up to grip the other end of it. You hissed when the cold metal touched your neck.

Aesop was delicately securing a beautiful necklace around your neck, and you felt like you forgot to breathe for a while. It was beautiful in its design, elegant, yet simple and light, adorned with a few vine-like twirls and several small opal stones. You couldn’t be certain, but you thought the material was goblin silver. It went beautifully with your earrings, and that’s when it truly hit. Aesop Sharp had this gorgeous piece of jewellery made specifically for you.

“A-Aesop!” you stammered, your cheeks burning and your eyes slowly watering, “I- I can’t possibly accept this, i-it’s way too valuable!” Your sweetheart finished fastening the necklace before leaning down to press a kiss against the nape of your neck. “Please,” he said in a voice so quiet, you almost couldn’t hear it, “I want you to have it… Do you like it?” You touched it delicately, slowly running your fingers over the cool material. “Oh, Aesop, it’s-... it’s the finest, most beautiful piece of jewellery I’ve ever seen, but you really shouldn't have spent what must’ve been quite a sum of money on me!”

His chapped lips made contact with the hot skin of your neck again, and again in a series of soft, tender kisses, his breath tickling at the peach fuzz there. “Trust me,” he spoke again, “when I say this is barely a fraction of what you deserve. You met me a half-broken man, who nearly made peace with the fact that love, health, and hope for the future is a thing of the past for him. You came into my life and shook it to its core. If anyone told me two years ago that tonight I’d be dancing with the most beautiful woman in the entire Wizarding world, completely in love, my leg cured and my dreams slowly being restored, I would’ve called them completely insane. And yet here we are. Believe me when I say you deserve this, and so much more. (F/N) (L/N), you deserve the world.”

Slowly dropping your eyes from the necklace, you turned around in his arms. A tear finally rolled over your eyelid and ran down your cheek as you looked deep into his eyes. You raised your hands to cup his cheeks, your fingers caressing the weathered, stubbled skin.

“I just want you,” you whispered, more tears falling from your eyes.

His much bigger hands came to enclose your own again.

“You’ve got me,” Aesop finally said with the faintest hint of a smile. In the next second, your arms were thrown around his neck, and your lips moulding with his in a passionate, earth-shattering kiss, one into which you attempted to pour all of your love and devotion for this wonderful man. “Thank you,” you sighed between kisses, the moisture of your tears staining his cheeks. His strong arms wrapped around your body securely, as if unwilling to let you go, which was something you didn’t mind at all.

Once you pulled slightly apart to catch your breaths, Aesop chuckled noiselessly, his breath cool on your hot damp lips. He lifted his hand to wipe away your tears and caress your face, his thumb sliding over the apple of your cheek, your jowl, your chin, finally stroking your lips, tracing their edge. “I must say, a half-drunken snog in the corridors during a term-end ball is also something I thought was a thing of the past,” he said, his voice low and raspy.

You couldn’t resist the small fit of giggles that overcame you then as you hid your burning face into the crook of his neck, breathing in his familiar, heady scent, a mix of the sandalwood from his cologne, the faintest hint of Firewhisky, the soap he used, and underneath that the natural smell of his skin, warm and comforting with the smallest trace of sweat.

“Doesn’t need to be the only time, though,” he added, prompting you to murmur questioningly against his skin. “Professors can bring partners with them…”

“Are you inviting me to the term-end ball all the way next year?”

“Hm, too soon?”

“No… no, it’s alright, I gladly accept. I’m just so very happy.”

You didn’t have to say it for Aesop to understand - that you were happy he readily saw himself with you a year from now.

“Shall we head to your chambers then?” you asked after a short while, raising your head slightly to look at him. “If you’d like, of course,” he answered, his clever thumbs drawing circles onto your hips, “But I was thinking maybe one last dance? It is a special occasion, after all, it’d be a shame to waste it.” You couldn’t disagree with that.

On your way back to the Great Hall, you didn’t hold onto Aesop’s arm, as it was instead draped around your shoulders, tightly pressing you into his side as you walked. It was only when you arrived at the foreroom of the Great Hall that you began to hear the noise from inside. “Silencing charm - wouldn’t want to disturb the castle's various inhabitants, would we?” your sweetheart said, most likely noticing your curious expression.

Entering the room, now bathed in an intimately dim light, you noticed that a number of people had already left. Quite a few sixth years seemed to have retired for the night, same as professors. There was Professor Ronen sitting at one of the tables with his wife, while Professor Howin and Madam Kogava were sort of just lingering about, watching the progression of the evening, no doubt keeping an eye on potential trouble. Your classmates seemed to be in various stages of intoxication. Natty seemed like she only had a glass or two, seeing as she most likely waited for her mother to leave before finally allowing herself to party a little, while Sebastian, who was (unsuccessfully) trying to woo her seemed about a single butterbeer from being ready to leave lest he made a fool of himself.

Poor Amit’s fallen asleep already, but Adelaide didn’t seem to mind, her head resting on his shoulder and her eyes closing as well. Hopefully, someone from their respective houses will wake them up when the time comes to truly wrap up. You let Aesop lead you through the room and towards one of the walls to a slightly more remote spot, the song that was playing until now coming to its close.

Just like you did throughout the whole evening, you took your stance and waited for the next song to begin. And then, when it did, you let Aesop glide the two of you across the dancefloor, your movements slow and well-measured. The whole time you were looking into each other’s eyes, having a little conversation about absolutely everything and nothing, all without uttering a single word. Each time Aesop spun you, you ended a little closer to him, inch after inch, until your bodies were flush against each other in a display quite intimate, and possibly very inappropriate in public. Luckily, nobody seemed to either notice or care.

Both of Aesop’s arms wrapped around your waist as he swayed with you slowly, his head lowering until your foreheads connected, resting against each other. You closed your eyes, just letting the reality of the moment wash over you. You felt his every move before he made it, felt the subtle way his hips swayed with yours, and the two of you sharing a single breath was getting you more drunk than alcohol ever could. And despite the two of you not being alone in the room, it did feel like you were, shrouded in your little world, clinging onto each other ardently.

And when he unabashedly kissed you once more, you lost yourself completely. Your feet stopped their movements, and you simply stood there in your passionate embrace, drinking from each other’s lips. When his lips left yours and instead travelled over your cheek and to your ear, you readily responded to his movements, your fingers combing into his hair like they always did, and your mouth unconsciously releasing little gasps and sighs. The potions master dipped his head slightly, and soon his hot tongue began circling your pulse point.

Not a second later, the sensation was gone and your head began clearing up again. It would seem Aesop suddenly realised where he was, and how many people were still around you. He leaned closer again to whisper into your ear: “I think now is the time for us to retire. As much as I find your gown beautiful, I’d much rather see you without it now.” You chuckled in reply, your close proximity to your lover allowing you to feel just how much he meant what he said: “I was thinking the exact same thing.”

You extracted yourselves from one another, and Aesop led you towards the exit, slightly behind you so as not to draw too much attention to his little problem, despite the dim light surely preventing so. Once you were out of sight, you turned to make your way to the Viaduct courtyard once again, but Aesop instead gripped your shoulders and motioned for you to take the route up the Grand Staircase. “Wait,” you protested mildly, “I avoided the Grand Staircase on purpose, you know. I don’t want to fall or break my leg, especially now that I’ve had a few drinks!” Your sweetheart chuckled, still leading you: “Don’t you worry, I’ll be behind you every step of the way and will catch or support you if need be. Besides it’s the shortest way to my rooms…” He made his point by stopping momentarily to deliver another kiss to your neck, making you almost melt under his touch.

“Oh… oh, alright then…” you relented, “but Aesop Sharp, I swear on Merlin’s name, if I break my leg three days before graduation-”

“Then Noreen will fix you up with a quick spell and some Skele-Gro, and both you and she will have my guts for garters.”

“Precisely.”

“Come on, then,” Aesop said in a teasing voice, his hand coming to lightly slap at your behind, making you giggle. You gathered your gown in your hands and carefully walked up the first flight of stairs, Aesop right behind you.

But then: “Ah, good evening you two!” You stopped in your tracks like a deer in headlights. “Dinah…” you heard Aesop say behind you, his tone one of exasperation and mild annoyance. “So, have you enjoyed this fine evening? I must say, it was quite dull without it last year.” You were blushing like mad, not meeting the DADA teacher’s eyes. However, you could see that she was quite obviously having fun grilling the two of you. “Yes, yes, very lovely and very dull,” said Aesop impatiently, his hand moving to close around your own, “was there anything particular you needed?”

While the older woman’s face was as neutral as always, you could see her eyes positively sparkle with mischief: “Oh? Are you in a hurry?” Aesop groaned quietly next to you: “Rather yes.”

“What could be so urgent on such a fine evening?”

This time, Aesop did not answer, but his hand squeezed yours harder. After a few seconds of utter silence, Dinah broke out into a little chuckle: “I’m sorry Aesop, dear. Can’t blame an old woman for wanting to have some fun as well, and you, you are so very fun to tease.”

“You know, you could tease Abraham now and then as well?”

“About what? Abe makes fun of himself most of the time, there’s no challenge in that. But I’ll leave you to it now. Have a nice evening you two. Oh, and the staircase seems quite agreeable today, but you should still be careful.”

“Thank you, Di. Goodnight,” Aesop said then, his tone much softer now, and he once again began to lead you away. “Goodnight, professor,” you said quietly, still a little embarrassed from the encounter, but at the same time strangely amused by it.

The potions master did as he promised, his hand as if glued to your lower back supporting you as you carefully ascended the steps of the Grand Staircase. “Disappearing one over there,” he’d warn every now and then. Some time later, the two of you finally entered the Faculty tower, and you all but began a half-jog towards your lover's chambers while still trying to remain silent so as not to disturb anyone who might already be asleep in their rooms. The moment the door closed behind you, your back was pressed against it, and Aesop’s mouth latched itself onto your own in a hot messy kiss. His hands were everywhere at once, caressing and groping your body as his lips slowly slid to your neck.

The former auror pulled back somewhat, looking at the jewellery he placed around your neck earlier, before he dipped his head right back, placing tender kisses over the sensitive skin of your throat along the necklace. Your fingers went right back into his hair, nowhere near as neat as it was when you met him at the viaduct entrance hours ago. When his arms wrapped around your middle and he lifted you off the ground you attempted to curl your legs around his waist, but was soon stopped by the fabric of your gown.

“Don’t you worry, my sweet, I’ll get you out of this thing soon enough,” he said, a smug grin clear as day in his sultry voice.

Aesop carried you over to his bedroom, however, before he could as much as sit you on the bed, you grabbed onto his shoulders, stopping him in his tracks. “Wait,” you chuckled, and he immediately set you back on your feet. He distangled himself from you and gently grabbed your face in his large calloused hands. “Are you alright? Too fast?” he asked, and you could melt right on the spot. Even after all this time, he was ready to stop at the tiniest hint of you not being alright with what he was doing. “No, no, it’s wonderful,” you reassured him, kissing his lips slowly, “it’s just… Hah, if you want to get me out of this dress, it’s better if we’re standing. Trust me.”

A quiet chuckle escaped Aesop’s lips: “Oh, alright.” He extended a hand towards you, and you immediately took it without thinking. He gently spun you, just like he spun you the entire evening across the dance floor, except this time he stopped when your back was facing him. “Dear Miss,” he spoke, his tone teasing and playful, “prepare to be disrobed.”

However, disrobing you was easier said than done, and Aesop hadn’t anticipated the intricacies the unfastening on your ball gown would pose. At first, he tried to work methodically, but it was for nothing and he was soon tangled in the many strings, getting progressively frustrated. It took a lot of your willpower not to giggle.

“How in Merlin’s medieval buttocks did you even get into this thing?!” he asked after a while, fingers furiously trying to get the gown to open up, or loosen at the very least so that he could peel it off your form. “There are laces and ties, more laces, strings, even more laces, how do I even-... hold on, I think I’ve got it,” Aesop fiddled with the fastenings for several seconds, before groaning in irritation, “Damn it!” And that was it, you began giggling softly, covering your mouth with your hand. “Oi, don’t you laugh! Did you use your magic on this? Is that why I can’t untie it?”

“I didn’t,” you said between chuckles, “though Natty may have gone slightly overboard with making sure it’s all holding up nicely.”

“Holding up nicely, she says,” grumbled Aesop, still trying to pull at the strings and laces in vain, “I’d have better chances breaking into bloody Gringotts!

You just kept chuckling. The dress felt slightly looser, but not loose enough for you to wiggle out of it: “I say, love, we’ll both be so exhausted after you finish untying it, the only thing we’ll be doing in those sheets is sleeping!” The former Auror stopped his frustrated movements, and then his strong hands left your back entirely: “Oh, for Merlin’s saggy-”

However, before you had the chance to say anything:

“Diffindo!”

You yelped as you heard the fabric being swiftly cut in half, soon falling down from your body and pooling around your ankles.

“Oi!” you turned around to face him, a bewildered expression on your face.

“Sorry about that,” Aesop said then, his voice anything but remorseful. “I’ll have you know I thought that dress was really beautiful,” you replied with the tiniest hint of indignation in your voice. However, your amusement at him losing his temper with the garment greatly outweighed any hard feelings towards him effectively destroying it. “So do I.” he insisted, “Mind stepping out of them, dear?” You did as he asked and stepped out from the circle of crumpled fabric. With a wave of his wand, the gown rose from the floor and floated towards his wardrobe, fixing itself seamlessly along the way. Soon, it was neatly hanged and perfect once more.

“I think Miss Onai truly should pursue a career in Gringotts, she’d make the vaults completely impregnable…” Aesop commented dryly while you crossed your arms across your chest. “Are we going to talk about Natty and her talents for securing things, or…?”

Aesop once more turned his entire attention towards you, looking at you appreciatively. Now that your gown was finally dealt with, you remained there standing in just your chemise and petticoat. You saw the fire returning to Aesop’s gorgeous dark eyes, and a wolfish grin to his face. “I should be able to take these off without wasting any precious energy, “he murmured lowly before stepping closer. His nose glided along your cheek and your jaw as he effortlessly unfastened the petticoat and let it slide down your legs, leaving you in your beautiful, silken underwear. “So… do we still have to stand up, or shall we get a little more comfortable?” the potions master asked slyly.

You fixed him with a mock offended look: “You have your fun undressing me and now you think I’ll settle with you just tearing your own clothes off in a frenzied flurry? That just won’t do, sir…” Due to a stupid amount of luck, you were in a perfect position to gently shove against his chest. Was this any other situation and were you anyone else, Aesop wouldn’t even flinch at the movement. However, he only grinned more and obediently let himself fall down upon the bed, conveniently right behind him, waiting patiently for you to undoubtedly climb atop him.

And you didn’t plan to keep him waiting long.

—

The first birds began singing outside the window as the dark sky of the night outside slowly bled into shades of purple and pink, the summer sun shyly peeking from below the horizon signalling the arrival of a brand new day. For you and your lover, however, the previous day was only just ending now in a haze of heavy breaths and wildly beating hearts, bodies sated and satisfied, limbs still trembling under the weight of shared pleasures.

You were beautifully exhausted, brushing your fingers through your hair, slightly damp from perspiration. You and Aesop gave yourselves to one another completely tonight, unashamedly indulging in your hunger, your scorching passion, opening yourselves up for new things and new sensations, experimenting with new positions and ways to bring the other to the breaking point.

Your hair became once more dry and soft within your fingers as your sweetheart used the last of his strength to cast a cleaning charm on the two of you and the bed before weakly tossing the wand onto the chair standing next to his bed. He found his resting place on top of your body, his now positively shaggy hair spreading on your skin and tickling it tenderly as he laid his head upon your chest, his ear directly over your heart. You were completely trapped underneath him, his weight evenly distributed on your body making you feel comfortable and safe, his arms bore the promise of not letting you go. The skin on his back was slightly uneven and a little bruised from your fingernails digging into it, and the potions master replied in kind on your hips and legs.

Thank goodness seventh years were not expected to turn up for breakfast today (and lunch neither in many cases), as you knew you wouldn’t be able to get up from this bed for many hours. Not that you’d want to.

Waves of comfort and love were slowly rocking you to much-needed slumber.

However, Aesop’s voice brought you back a little. “Are you going to wear it?” he asked, voice soft and quiet, slightly raspy after your long night. His long digit stroked at your necklace delicately, occasionally moving to trace a path along your throat. “I might never take it off,” you replied honestly, looking down and seeking to connect your gazes. The potions master smiled, sincerely and genuinely, dark eyelashes fluttering softly in the dim light of coming morning and dying embers. He pulled himself up to connect your kiss-bruised lips once again, this time gently and tenderly, merely letting them brush, whispering soft ‘I love you’s in-between.

There in the early morning spent in the potions master’s comfortable bed, drinking his words of adoration, you were ready to face whatever the future may bring. As long as Aesop Sharp’s arms enfolded you in their embrace, you were ready for anything.

Hello, thank you very much for reading, I hope you enjoyed this little story. As always, you can find this work and all of my other works over on AO3. I'll be very grateful for your feedback! 💖

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