He was sure he wasn't going to catch him as the class had ended 10 minutes already. It wasn't his fault the damn stairs had decided to have a field day forcing him into the dungeons and back. With a small parcel in hand, his mother's neat, professorial handwriting on it, he stopped in the threshold of the Transfiguration classroom, leaning forward with one hand on his knee and the other on the door handle to catch his breath.

"Is—is Charlie[1] still here?" he asked between heavy breaths without raising his eyes to the rather empty classroom. Taking a long breath he straightened his back and noticed the single lost lamb inside. Well, at least the trip wasn't for nothing. The corner of his lips raised into a charming smile and he moves his weight from one foot to the other, letting himself lean casually on the doorway.

"Don't suppose you saw my little cousin around?" he hummed innocently, almost batting his long eyelashes once. Cute as a button this one, he decided, stepping inside the classroom and walking lazily towards the Gryffindor. "Mind if I catch my breath for a moment" he asked, smirk positively lecherous and eyes running up and down his figure appreciatively. Without waiting for input, he took a seat next to him and crossed his legs, leaning forward on the desk to place his head in his hand and eye him expectantly with an arched eyebrow.

"And who might you be little Gryffindor? I'm certain I would've remembered your name..." he winked and chuckled softly.

1.	Charlie Blackwell

Felix was always slow to leave classrooms, especially when they were unoccupied for the next period. He liked to revel in the quiet of the recently emptied rooms, sometimes poking around in the closets and corners. This is how he ended up in the Transfiguration room 10 minutes after class had ended, still at his desk with his book open and wand out on the table. His plan was to spend his study period here, going over the most recent lecture and maybe doing some independent reading. He tapped his quill lightly on the table in front of him.

He heard hurried footsteps, but ignored them, figuring whoever was making them was headed somewhere else. He wasn't really paying much attention until he heard the footsteps gasping at the door. He looked up to see an older boy - Slytherin, by the clothing - one he recognized but didn't know at all. He did notice as the boy's expression changed from exhausted to... Felix didn't know what, exactly. Scheming? Charming? He watched as the boy leaned on the doorway.

He watched the boy's body language closely, not sure how the older Slytherin would treat a Gryffindor fourth-year. He noted batting eyelashes and slow, languid movements. He raised an eyebrow slightly as the boy asked if he could sit down, then proceeded to without waiting for a response. Felix's breath stuttered when he noticed the way the boy was smirking as he looked him over, as if trying to size him up - no. It was more like the way his cat looked at a particularly appealing mouse.

"My -" his voice came out strangled. Taking a deep breath and trying again, he said, "My name is Felix. I don't think we've met. What's your name?"

"Hmmm" he mused with mirth in his eyes, seeing the boy stutter through his response. "No, no we haven't... I did just say that" he responded with eyebrows raised in amusement and an impish smile. "Well, it's certainly lovely to meet you, Felix" his smile grew into a charming toothy grin, as he extended his free hand to grab one of his, without even being offered. "I'm Bran" he declared, vice softer and a few notes lower, as his long fingers grazed over the inside of his wrist.

Slowly letting go of Felix's hand, but not before pressing his thumb softly into his pulse point, Bran's gaze darkened for just a bit as he licked his lips absently. He leaned in closer, any notion of personal space thrown out the window, as he merely watched him intently, eyes flitting over his features to stop upon his lips for a second too long, and then—

Then he was pulling back, his face the definition of being particularly pleased with one's self as well as highly amused and he hummed softly under his breath. "Can you sing, Felix, dear?" he asked out of the blue, angelic smile on his face and a flutter of his eyelashes.

Right. Of course he had already said that. Felix cursed himself mentally until his brain unexpectedly stopped functioning courtesy of light fingers and a low voice. He shivered slightly as Bran's thumb grazed over his wrist. It took Felix a moment too long to collect his thoughts and reply, "It's... It's nice to meet you too, Bran."

Felix bit his lower lip lightly, watching Bran watching him, then went utterly still when Bran's face was suddenly right there in front of him, close enough Felix could almost feel him breathing as he took in his face, eyes fluttering, lingering, then - gone?

Felix tried not to look taken aback by Bran's sudden withdrawal, and more or less succeeded until out of nowhere, he asked if he could sing. Felix enjoyed singing, though he wasn't trained, but was too nervous to perform. "I can. How well I can sing is another story, but I enjoy it." He blinked quickly. Had Bran just called him "dear?" Was that standard? He was thinking too hard and he knew it.

"I'm sure it is" he hummed, barely audible, as his smile grew with his amusement. Such a cute little Gryffindor. And so adorably responsive too. Bran would be cooing, if it would't completely ruin the setting he'd managed to create. He did so love a good game of cat and mouse.

It was only because Hughes was on and about preparing for their own lesson, which was about to start soon that Bran kept some semblance of propriety. However, it did help with the game... Felix hadn't seemed against his gesture, so there certainly was something there. He smirked minutely.

"Well then, darling, it's a good thing that enjoying it is the first step towards succeeding at it, is it not?" he winked, and chuckled softly, eyes roaming the classroom to see if Hughes was back in his office or not. "How 'bout you let me be the judge of that?"' Bran asked sweetly but with a tone of authority in it. "I lead the Choir and Orchestra Club... You should visit us sometime" he invited, a stray curl falling on his forehead as he lowered his head just a fraction.

And just as soon he was again leaning forward, only until he was able to feel Felix's breath upon his cheek and then he ducked sideways, lips close to the Gryffindor's ear. "You could always just come to me for a private audition" he whispered mirthfully, ending on a breathy chuckle. As he retreated he made sure to gaze directly into Felix's eyes, a look full of... meaning.

And then he was straightening his back, uncrossing his legs as if nothing had even happened. "We're always looking for new talent and I think you'd be a good fit" Bran said, sweet little smile, eyes crinkling at the corners.

Felix would have chuckled at the Slytherin's arrogance if he had been able to laugh. Or think. Or breathe properly. It was something about the way he hummed under his breath, Felix thought, or the way smiled like he knew a secret. Which he probably did.

Felix knew in the back of his mind that a class would be starting soon, that he should get back to... What had he been doing? Studying? But something about Bran made him stay; even if he wanted to leave (and, he reminded himself, he did) he wouldn't be able to. And then there was the issue of the pet names. Felix was thoroughly confused, having never been called "dear" or "darling" by anyone except his mother, and girls who were trying to get something out of him.

"Er, yes. Definitely a good thing," Felix said, "I -" And then his voice died completely as Bran swooped in again, close enough to feel the warmth from his skin, and he shivered at the feeling of breath on his cheek and lips millimetres away from his ear. A private audition... and then that chuckle. As he caught Bran's eye, his own widened, and his face couldn't decide if it wanted to go red or white. All he could do was sit there for a moment, lips slightly parted, trying not to look as flustered as he felt.

"I. Um. Yes. I'll certainly... think it over." What a joke. Think? Felix wasn't sure his brain was capable of such lofty goals at the moment. Speaking was challenge enough when also trying to keep up with Bran's sudden shifts in demeanor.

His flustering and stuttering was beyond adorable and Bran couldn't be more pleased with his choice of staying for a moment. He looked a bit like a deer in the headlights and wasn't that simply irresistible? And if his eyes had fallen on that pink, parted mouth as he retreated... well, who could blame him?

"Well, you make sure to think it over hard and deep, hmm?" he said looking away from him and biting into his lip to keep the gleeful chuckle that was begging to be left out. Turning his head to look at Felix he instructed his face into a serene smile and blinked once. "After all, we wouldn't want you to do anything rash."

After a few quiet moments of watching the first of his colleagues arrive for class, Bran decided it was all or nothing at this point. "Have you ever been kissed, sweetheart?" he asked with big blue eyes and a curiously raised eyebrow, small smile tugging at his lips. His gaze fell upon his lips again and he let out a small sound at the back of his throat, as if wondering or  maybe even knowing the answer already.

"Truly kissed?" he added in a darker tone.

Oh dear. He was doing that thing again, where he looked and said things and smiled and Felix was this close to doing something incredibly stupid and embarrassing and inconceivable and ugh. He ran a hand through his hair, trying to seem calmer than he was.

Felix unconsciously mirrored Bran's action as he bit his lip, out of nervousness or something else he wasn't sure. He discovered that it was more or less impossible to move or speak or think while Bran was looking at him, and he was pretty sure that if Bran suggested he throw himself off the Astronomy Tower he would just nod and agree.

Felix's mouth went dry when Bran asked if he'd ever been kissed. He ran his tongue quickly across his bottom lip to moisten it before swallowing hard. And then he made that sound and Felix bit down hard on the inside of his cheek. He didn't need the added "truly" to get what Bran was talking about, and he swallowed again, Adam's apple bobbing, as he tried not to look at Bran's mouth.

"I... No," he said quietly, "I haven't."

"And would you?" he asked, still amused but definitely a lot more interested as his gaze flitted between Felix's eyes and mouth. And when his few fellow sixth and seventh years seemed to be engaged in whatever it was they were doing so early to class, he leaned in as if to kiss his lips, but turned at the last moment to place a soft, barely there kiss on his cheek and pulled back to smile at him.

He chuckled lowly and looked at him through his eyelashes, lifting one arm to casually place on the desk behind. Straightening his back, enough so that only his arm kept in him in touch with Felix. "Bran Blackwell" he said out of the blue, fingers barely grazing the back of his neck. "So you know who to ask for, if you come looking for that kiss, pet" he added, fingers growing more audacious, climbing up in his hair, only for his nails to gently graze back down.

Bran turned towards him and gave him a sly little smirk, before he removed his arm and got up on his feet. "I'm sure Hughes would be curious as to why you're still here when our lesson starts, Felix" he eventually said in his polite, respectful voice, the one he saved for professors and the likes. "Off you go then, sweetheart" he ended on a private little smile, then walked away casually to where his housemates where taking their places.

Before Felix had a chance to ask "Would I what," Bran leaned in, closer than he had before, and Felix was certain he would pull back again... Or not. Because instead he kissed him. It wasn't on the mouth, and Felix wasn't even sure if Bran's lips had actually touched his cheek or not, but it was enough that a light blush spread over his cheeks.

When Bran straightened up, putting more distance between them, Felix had to consciously force himself not to lean forward. He reminded himself to breathe as Bran's nails assaulted the back of his neck and head. "I'll remember that, Bran," he said, finally able to speak in complete sentences. He tried not to look too disappointed when Bran moved away, but that smirk indicated that he hadn't seen the last of Bran Blackwell - not by a long shot.

He gathered his books and was headed out the door when he turned around. "If you were looking for Charlie, he's got a study period now," he said, then turned on his heel and was out the door.

~End~