Lost Cat
Thandi rubs her eyes as she finally lifts her eyes from the book she’s been reading. Theoretical Spacial Manipulation: Floo Powder and Other Stupid Inventions. It’s a clever breakdown of modern magic uses of teleportation magic, but it could get pretty dense at times.
Despite that, though, she was absorbed in the pages for so long that the merry fire of the Ravenclaw common room has gone low. Charlie is already asleep, mumbling nonsense as he always does. He clutches her pajamas, face pressed to it as if it was as good as having her with him.
Thandi looks down at her uniform, grimacing. No one is around, so she may as well just do the tried and true method of changing underneath her dress. She tries to pull her nightgown from Charlie.
“Thandi,” he murmurs, fingers tightening on the delicate fabric.
“It’s all right, darling. Just a moment.”
“Mmn…”
She reaches out to stroke his cheek and he nearly purrs, hands opening and closing as he imitates the kneading motion of cats. Thandi snorts a laugh, trying not to laugh. If he knew he did this, he’d probably cut off his own hands to avoid the embarrassment. That said, it makes it a lot easier to get her things away from him!
She quickly changes her clothes, folding her uniform neatly and putting it aside before stopping to admire her boy. Six years of doting has led them here, him sprawled on the Ravenclaw couch with her trying to figure out the best way to cuddle into him for the night.
She puts a hand on his chest and he sighs, shifting to grab her. Thandi wishes at that moment that she had decided to get comfortable before he fell asleep. If he wakes up without her, he’s going to have one of his silent tantrums again.
Or would he? He’s improved a bit since last year. Could she manage to slip into her room for the night? A smile breaks and she gathers up her things, quietly padding to her room.
The next morning, she wakes a little tired, but refreshed. A shower and a change sees her to the common room. Her Slytherin is gone, probably to do his own morning routine. She hums to herself as she goes to breakfast and…huh.
She waves at her friends at other tables, smiling and nodding as she looks around for that familiar mop of chestnut hair. It’s nowhere to be seen. That’s a shame; she loves to tousle and play with it after Charlie’s had his shower.
Oh, no.
It clicks. Tantrum time.
He’ll show up eventually, of course, so for now she plants herself at the long table for breakfast and quietly picks at her food as she resumes her reading. Morning classes come and go, a further lack of Charlie noticed.
It troubles Thandi
Where is he?!
A whole day of classes and not even a wink of him! Where has that silly boy gone?!
Thandi grumbles to herself as she starts her search. Troublesome as always. Not in the Slytherin common room, nor the other two houses. Their mutual friends haven’t seen him. He isn’t out at the greenhouse. He’s not at the edge of the forest. He’s not even in her common room.
Her worry starts to click higher and higher. Was it worth the night in a bed to lose him?! She could kick herself. It’s not as if she dislikes sleeping with him! It’s just that…it’s the couch versus a bed. There is a clear winner there.
Last place. Their corner of the library. There, on a cushion and passed out against the shelves, is Charlie. He’s got a book open in his lap.
Thandi approaches and peers at his reading.
Then laughs.
Apparently there is such a thing as too dry a book. He’s reading another copy of the book she had. Well, he was.
Thandi pulls the book away and strokes his cheek. That adorable kneading motion begins and she hears her name on his breath. So cute.
“Darling. Darling, wake up. It’s time for bed.”
“Time for bed?” He blinks awake, dazed. “Ah…shit.” The books is snapped shut and pushed aside as he yawns and stretches. “I’ve gone and fucked up my schedule. It’s all your fault, you know.”
“Of course.”
With a groan, he stands and pulls her up with him. She giggles as he takes her face in his hands to kiss her forehead. There’s a pause. Thandi glances up at him from where he holds her and then erupts into bubbly laughter as he covers her face in kisses. “Wretched girl. Let’s go.”