A Prefect Night for a walk PV Bloom Finished

Ben stared at the wall in shock. The world seemed to blur for a moment as he heard what she said. It took him extra long to process and he said nothing for probably too long. Bloom had been through heart break so he felt obligated to say something positive. Anything positive at all. He had no idea what to do now. This was impossible.

No don't say you like her back. What if she meant as a friend for hugging her? She likes how amazing of a friend I am.

His heart was going crazy up until she said it. It felt like his body dropped the moment she said those words. He could feel her nervousness and tears, yet she was still so warm. Ben liked her, he liked her a lot. Having all day to spin thoughts worked a wedge into his frozen heart. He never would have admitted such a thing to himself if not for Felicity and Bloom basically telling him she liked him before now. Even he knew he was dense when it came to girls.

"You like me?" he repeated, trying to not choke on his words.

The hug pulled apart as he wanted to look her in the eyes. It was slow, not instant. He wasn't trying to rip himself away or anything. Ben kept one hand on her shoulder almost awkwardly as he stared at her. He thought she was beautiful, kind, intelligent, and... she liked him? It blew his mind a bit to consider. Was it because he was second though? That had to be it, didn't it?

Stop doubting yourself...

"Bloom, I need a minute if that's okay?" he tried to smile and it failed a bit so he added more. "That's a bad answer, but can we each take a tower and meet back up here?"

He turned towards the astrology tower down the hall from them, breathing deeply as he apparently had not taken a simple breathe for a bit now. Time to think and really decide if this was a good idea felt necessary. He felt bad making her wait for any real response. It's what made the most sense to him though. Rushing into decisions was not the Eckenrode way. They were thinkers and they would think until the perfect solution presented itself.

Bloom felt like she was melting. She finally told him and the first thing that happens is not a rejection, at least Bloom did not think it was. Or was it? Everyone had their own version of rejecting someone, right?

He slowly got out of their embrace with one hand on her shoulder and he told her to take another tower and meet back in the same place. Bloom was very confused at what was happening. Does he not like me? Did he need time to think of a way to tell me he didn't like me?

Bloom felt a bit shattered as she watched Ben leave towards the stairs. Again she was rejected. But why didn't she feel as sad as she did last time with Reid? Perhaps she was used to this feeling. Bloom did not want to go anywhere. She did not want to check the other tower and instead, she walked up to the window, and leaned against the window pane looking out into the night. She sighed, waiting for Ben to come back.

Why did I have to tell him that I liked him? Why did I have to open my big mouth yet again? Hogwarts is supposed to be fun, not heart-wrenching, she yelled at herself.

It took so much effort not to turn back and make a mess of things by rambling. Ben had no idea what to say or do. Did he confess he liked her without really understanding? Did he turn her down to think about it? Did he run away and say nothing? He slowly walked away with his mind feeling numb.

What do I need to think about? What am I really afraid of?

He was really only a few steps away before he stopped in his tracks again. Ben's heart sank as he thought she was probably already in the tower feeling crushed. He had done some poor moves here. Would he be able to chase her? He needed to chase her. Fix his mistake. Was there a spell for that?

"Fixus lifeus. Idiotus undous." he muttered to himself before he turned around.

His heart skipped a bit and his stomach went up into his throat. She was still here, so hurt that she simply leaned against the window. He couldn't speak while staring, and he felt every possible emotion pass through him.

What is happening to me? I've never felt this way about anyone.

"Bloom," he said quietly from where he stood, choking slightly on his words. "I don't need a minute. I like you too."

Ben started walking back to Bloom. He needed to hug her, to fix it, to apologize, to make it right. Even when she was crushed, looking into the night out the window, he found her beautiful. He stopped caring if it ruined the friendship. If he felt this way about her, friendship would hurt if he tried to bury it. His pace was quick and getting faster the closer he got, almost running to recover the fifteen steps or so he took. A single tear escaped his right eye as he approached. As long as she did not stop him, he was going to kiss her (awkwardly of course) as soon as he was in range.

Bloom, still leaning onto the window pane was drowned in her thoughts. She had just told another boy that she liked him and she believed that she was turned down. How could that be possible? She was pretty, at least, right? She was fun and outgoing... Was there something about her that boys just see and did not like? Bloom had no idea.

She heard her name coming from down the corridor. Turning her head, ever so slightly, she saw that it was Ben. The way he called for her name was different. It wasn't apologetic nor was it sadness. She could tell that with the words coming out of his mouth, he was strong. She saw him make his way to her and she stepped back from the window pane.

Ben had then said the words that she was hoping for. Ben liked her, too. Ben likes me, too? Bloom was beyond happy. Her tears began to form, but they were not sad tears, they were happy ones. For once there was someone who liked her and it was someone who she truly did admire and perhaps wanted to be with.

Immediately, Bloom thought of Reid for a split second. She also liked him, too, but perhaps this was a sign to move on. She would rather have Reid as a friend. There seemed to be a lot of growth with Ben and in turn, they would be spending a lot of time together anyways.

Bloom felt Ben come in for a hug and she could not help but to smile. Her face glowing from the moonlight and her eyes looking happy, she was beyond excited to have such a connection with another person, especially with Ben. As they were hugging, she saw that his head was coming in close to hers.

A kiss!... she thought, worried about what to do and how to kiss. She had never kissed anyone before. Is it too soon? Should they just kiss now? If she did kiss now, would that make her 'easy'? Bloom had so many questions in her mind that she did not even think about moving away.

His lips had already touched hers and they kissed. Bloom felt like melting. This sensation was new to her, it was something she had never thought she was witness within her first year as an eleven-year-old, and yet, here she was, locking lips with someone she liked very much. With Ben Eckenrode.

Her heart beat faster and faster as the kiss kept going. Who was supposed to let go? Am I supposed to hold back or is he supposed to? Bloom, awkwardly, kept her lips against his, waiting to see what he would do next.

The first kiss ever for Ben was so surreal. He never learned how or had a desire to do it. But with Bloom he couldn't deny it. Their confessions and expressions were awkward, the kiss had to be awkward too. Not that either seemed to care. It was such an explosion of emotion that Ben had never experienced and did not know how to handle.

When is a kiss over? Is it over? Are we doing a bad job?

Essentially, their kiss was them touching lips and doing nothing else. He stood still and closed his eyes. Ben was glad no one was watching, but that' when he heard it. First it was a snicker, then it was whispering. Someone was watching? Ben opened one eye, partly to see Bloom and partly to look around. He saw nothing and Bloom was so beautiful he couldn't help but feel giddy. Both eyes opened to stare at her and he finally pulled away, ending the awkwardly beautiful moment. It was hard to look away even to spot their spy.

"Adorable!" he heard coming from... the wall.

PAINTINGS! SO WEIRD! I WILL NEVER GET USED TO THAT!

"Heh, paintings..," he said after a second. "I forget they can talk... and see..."

A laugh escaped as he thought about how silly it was. This girl meant everything to him now. In so little time she went from stranger to... beyond best friend. He felt he could share everything with her. She was beautiful. Her smile lit up the room and would warm him up even on this cold night. Her eyes sparkled with joy, love, intelligence, and personality. There were no complains he could find. He was too blinded to any faults that might be there, if there were any.

"We should finish our patrol," he said, never letting his eyes leave Bloom as he offered his hand. "Together."

The kiss felt as though it lasted for ten minutes, however, it was only a couple seconds too long. When Ben let go of the kiss, she still kept her eyes closed. She opened them slowly, her chocolate eyes staring at the boy who gave her her first kiss. She couldn't help but to form a smile across her face, her cheek bones a bit more defined.

She heard a noise coming from the walls and immediately blushed. How much did the paintings see? Bloom knew that some of these people in the paintings were gossipers. Who knew how quickly the news of their kiss as Prefects would make it around the castle. It was perhaps a very good reason as to why other students choose to be outside, away from castle walls and the likes when doing something against the rules.

"I would love that," Bloom said, taking his hand that he offered to her. She intertwined her fingers with his and with her other hand, she touched the arm that she was holding hands with. In a way, it was a form of cuddling but with walk-like movements. Bloom rested her head on his shoulder and she began to walk with him to make the rest of their rounds.

"By the way, my favorite color is also green," she said, smiling at the Ravenclaw. "Just in case you were still interested to know," she laughed, wondering if he had remembered where they left things in the common room the night before. Bloom felt whole again- as if her heart had never been broken. Ben had mended it and she felt herself.

"So what are we now? Should we tell others?" she asked. For the first time, she was past the crush phase and onto the phase that was truly unknown to her. What are they to do about their relationship? Do they title themselves as boyfriend and girlfriend? Do they tell their closest friends? Typically, Bloom would want to tell Felicity about this, but she wanted to see what Ben would want to do first.

In all his worrying and over thinking, Ben had never considered what to tell people if they became a couple. What did they call themselves? That was something they would need to tackle soon for sure. Especially if the paintings started the gossip. It wasn't that he didn't want people to know, and it wasn't against any rules he knew, it was... he had no reason to hide it.

"I admit my curiosity was overcome with something else, but I am glad to hear it!" He smiled wide and couldn't stop glancing down at Bloom. "I.. don't know what we are. I'm real new to this. Last girl that liked me punched me and chased me around, and I never realized she liked me until my Dad told me. By then I hated her. So I'm very inexperienced here."

You're my girlfriend, please tell everyone.

"I'm okay with you telling people we're together. Not ashamed of it and it isn't against the rules," he squeezed her hand gently as he spoke. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited to tell people."

Is this real? I'm dreaming. Crap. Crrraaaaaap this is a dream. Any second now a dragon is going to bust in and eat me. Ugh. I hope I wasn't sleep talking about Bloom.

His eyes opened after only a brief moment of closing them to think. He was still in the corridor approaching the stairs, holding hands with Bloom. It was real life, and he had never been so happy. Magic, castles, and a girl he never realized he was missing. His dad always bragged about his first girlfriend at age 17, and it was Ben's mom. Ben took that as a victory, or a sign of a really long dating process. Of course he would over think this good moment, just like anything else.

Unsure of what to call themselves, she was still very excited to let others know of her new chapter in her life. With just a couple weeks into school, she had not only found some best friends, but also a boyfriend that was more than perfect. True, she had to go through a heartache or two, but she was glad to have chosen Ben as the one to emotionally and spiritually grow with.

Maybe the Hogwarts Staff wanted it that way, too, she thought, thinking about how both Ben and Bloom were given Prefect badges that same night they met. It was almost like a match-made in wizarding heaven.

Bloom, still wrapped around his arm while holding his hand, was living a fairy tale dream. That is what the muggles would call it, right? Is this the part where they say 'happily ever after' or is there more to this tale? So far, she couldn't think so much about it as her heart was warm being next to someone who she truly did like.

Bloom and Ben, making their way to the last of the towers had finished their first round together as not just Ravenclaw prefects, but a couple who found each other through their work. After their rounds, they made their way to the Ravenclaw Common Room where Bloom said good night to Ben and made her way to her dormitory, happy as can be.





[THREAD CLOSED]