the kiss list, adrian pucey
𝒐𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒃𝒆𝒓, 𝟏𝟗𝟗𝟐

chapter eleven
number 14: MILES BLETCHLEY

✧ ━━━ · ✦ · ━━━ ✧

     BIANCA'S 'ADRIAN FREE PERIOD' ENDED quicker than she expected. Although it wasn't very 'Adrian free' after all. No, he wasn't in lessons, but she was still his main source of catchup work and decent food. Although she had only delivered him food once she still wasn't exactly free from him in the end. She was also still waiting for her recompensation for so selflessly delivering those sausages right to his doorstep, like the amazing enemy she was, despite forgetting about his second order of fish and chips.

     It was now mid-October and Autumn was well in swing. Like the previous months, you could feel the breeze that was rich with the aroma of the earth, and the grounds of the castle were tucked away under a quilt of berry-reds and browns.

     Bianca always thought Autumn was just a 'filler season'. It had no real excitement. Sure, it was sometimes beautiful to look at, when it wasn't pissing it down with rain, or when you couldn't smell the dampness of the soggy leaves. Because after Autumn, there was Winter. Filled with the warm delights of hot chocolate, the thrill of an approaching Christmas, and the white blankety bliss that painted the world. Obviously, that was just December alone, but you get the point.

     But she'd have to hold on till then a little longer because she had to suffer the inviting delights of October 31st, which was only one week away.

     As Saturday morning came around, Adrian was free from the isolated cave he once was in, the hospital wing, and after a pit stop at the Slytherin common room and his dormitory that he had so sorely missed, he headed down to the great hall, eagerly, for his first decent meal in a while.

     The nurses were obviously feeding him of course. Hogwarts had done some questionable things in the past in terms of taking care of students, but they would never starve a child. Especially not one that was injured in the hospital wing; the food was just not to Adrian's liking. So when he had so kindly asked for Bianca Larsson to bring him some fish or chips from the previous night's feast and she didn't, he was quite disappointed; he would have at least gone to bed at a reasonable hour had he known that she wasn't coming.

     So, as he waltzed into the great hall for breakfast, a healed femur (although still very stiff) and an empty stomach, he had to make a quick stop at the Gryffindor table.

     "Adrian. How lovely to see you walking," Bianca faked a smile as she noticed him walk over in her direction.

     "Great to be back," he mirrored the smile she had given him. That was until he made eye contact with the girl sat on the other side of Bianca; her yellow robes and all. Adrian gritted his teeth.

     He wanted to address the fish and chips, and although he knew she was not at all obliged to do so, he still wanted to know why she didn't: he liked having her there the first time. But he obviously had to ask why number nine was previously laughing away with the Gryffindor, at the lion's table, at breakfast, before he had walked over.

     "Who's this?" he asked, knowing exactly who it was.

"You know Maxine," Bianca smiled devilishly, trying not to laugh at his expression that had completely changed from his default. The Hufflepuff smiled at him after being introduced ─ if you could call it that.

     "A prefect knows that houses aren't meant to mix at mealtimes, Larsson," Adrian replied.

     "What's got your panties in a twist?" she asked, repeating exactly what he had said to her once. "Don't tell me you came all the way over here because of some chips?"

     He scoffed, "No."

     She furrowed her eyebrows at him, seeing straight through his lie, "Just wanted to say 'hi' then?"

     "Is that such a problem?" he asked and Maxine looked away, pretending to be distracted by something random.

     "Not exactly, no," she said. There was a pause, where no one said a word, but rather the two of them were changing eye directions, unsure of where to look or what to say. "Is that all then?" she asked, finally.

     Their eyes locked and he straightened out his shoulders, "Actually, I was wondering if you could help me study? I've missed out on a lot of work and however detailed your potions notes were, I don't quite understand what the test requires me to know, so I was hoping you could help me?" he asked, without a smile, or pleading look.

     Bianca narrowed her eyes into his, "Why me?" she eventually asked.

     "Your notes." he shrugged, "And I guess you're okay at potions," he admitted.

     Bianca corrected him in her mind: 'I'm not just okay Pucey.' But she didn't feel the need to correct him in voice; she knew he had already admitted more than he wanted to.

     She scoffed but made little noise, "I guess I could. Library at say twelve?"

     "AM or PM?" he asked.

     "I'm going to let you figure that one out yourself, Adrian," she replied, and she patronizingly patted his arm. He felt his body tense up as they made contact.

     "Oh right yeah," he said, sheepishly, now ignoring her gaze. "I have practice at ten thirty, so I might be a bit late," he said casually, and she nodded. The two of them exchanged awkward smiles before he walked over to the Slytherin's table where he was greeted with hugs and a few cheers for his return to normal school life.

      Bianca turned back to Maxine, who was smirking at her, "What was that all about?"

     "Nothing. Just Adrian asking if I could help him with studying for the test we have next week." she shrugged.

     "Nothing? Really?"

     "Uh . . . yeah, nothing," Bianca replied, "I hate him. Trust me," she reassured the Hufflepuff, who wasn't so convinced.

      "If you hated him that much, you would have said no."

     Bianca stopped for a moment. She had a point. But she was just being a good person, right? She knew that if she had missed so much potions work and was then tasked with studying for a big test that she would have gone to Bianca: she was the best person for the job. She had had experience in tutoring (if that's what you could call it) and she understood the topics you were required to know, so he chose her. And fair enough at that.

     She shook it off, "Anyway, the list. If I want to win this, I need to kiss at least three guys each month and I know I kissed you only last night, but in September I only managed two, so I need to get a move on."

     "Okay. Have you got the list on you?" Maxine asked.

     The night before, the two of them spent almost an hour talking about the bet. Bianca explained everything Max needed to know and filled her in on who she had already kissed, besides it only being three, and one of them was Maxine herself. The Hufflepuff surprised herself by finding the whole Liss List, sort of exciting.

     "Not right now, no," Bianca said, slightly sheepishly, although she couldn't exactly carry it around everywhere she went.

     "Maybe go for someone more on the thick and gullible side?" Maxine chuckled slightly, "Who can you remember?"

     "Anyone on the Slytherin quidditch team pretty much." Bianca rolled her eyes.

     Maxine now began eyeing the table on the far end, until her eyes landed on Pucey and his friend group, "And you're sure he hasn't told anyone besides Flint?" she questioned.

     "Pretty sure, yeah." Bianca nodded, hoping that he hadn't.

     "Then I suggest Bletchley."

     "Miles?" Bianca asked. "Why him?"

     Miles Bletchley was the keeper for the Slytherin Quidditch team and although he played as one on the field, you wouldn't exactly say he was a 'keeper' himself in terms of relationships. He had on and off girlfriends, none of them even remotely serious, and got with any girl he had the chance with; he and Jeremy Stretton would be best friends had they been in the same house. He was on the thicker side of people (so Bianca had heard) but wasn't completely stupid: he was good at Quidditch and Bianca was pretty sure he had a knack for charms.

     "He's too desperate to even realize."

➼

     "YOU TOLD HER?" Leo asked as the pair of Gryffindor's walked out onto the courtyard; Alicia, Angelina, and Katie chatting not too far behind.

     "Yeah." Bianca shrugged, not seeing the 'big deal' that her best friend was making it out to be.

     "Isn't that against the rules?" he questioned.

     "Technically yes, but I told her after we kissed. And she kissed me. It's hardly cheating, especially if Adrian doesn't find out."

     "Find out what?" a voice sounded from their right. Adrian Pucey was also strolling out onto the grassy area, most likely heading to the corner of the square yard that was almost always occupied with Slytherins and Slytherins only. He had a smirk resting on his face.

     "None of your concern Adrian." Bianca smiled sickly sweetly.

     "You said my name. I'm pretty sure it does." he met her in the middle of the courtyard and the pair stopped walking; Leo standing not far behind.

     "If you heard your name then you also would have heard that I didn't want you to know, so move along Adrian," she said.

     "Fair enough," he smiled, walking closer to her, thinning the distance between them.

     Bianca shifted uncomfortably, but put on a more confident expression than she was feeling, and walked away. The courtyard was by no means that wide, so she would still be able to see him and his group of Snake friends from where she would end up sitting, so she couldn't quite have the 'walk-off' effect that she wanted, but she walked away none the less.

     "See you at twelve!" he yelled at her, before slumping down the stone fence, lining the grassy patch beside Miles Bletchley and Graham Montague. Marcus Flint joining them not long after.

     The courtyard was an open grass area, located in the middle of four connected corridors. The air was chilly and the giant tree that marked the center of the yard had lost almost all of its leaves. Many students spent their weekends out in the courtyard, either studying, reading, or most of the time just socializing. All students currently doing so late on a Saturday morning were wrapped in their house scarfs and big jumpers to provide that extra warmth. It wasn't a nice temperature at such, but it was bearable. You wouldn't, however, see anyone in the yard in winter: that was too cold.

     The five Gryffindors perched down on the grass beside Fred and George who greeted them before returning to their discussion about their next prank on Professor Flitwick

     'Bless him', Bianca thought to herself as she overheard them.

     The six were chatting away, each in their own conversation. Leo and Alicia most likely flirting. Bianca, Angelina, and Katie complaining about their transfiguration assignment due at the end of the week.

     Angelina and Katie seemed more into the conversation than Bianca was. Bianca found herself looking over to the group of now six Slytherin boys now and then. They were all laughing, most likely about something that wasn't even that funny.

     It was when Miles Bletchley stood up, that she suddenly became interested. She felt herself sit up a little straighter and turn back to the girls, to make it look like she hadn't been staring.

     She watched out of the corner of her eye as the boy left the courtyard and turn left towards one of the many exits of the castle.

     "Hey guys?" she asked the girls, who stopped talking briefly, to hear what she had to say, "I'm gonna go and quickly fetch something from the dorm, okay?" she lied.

     The two of them nodded, not thinking anything of it.

     She stood up, and casually left the courtyard; Adrian watching her every move, not catching on that she had left for the same exact route his best friend had just taken.

     She had to guess which way he took once she had left through the same exit he had done, as he was long gone.

     She opted for the Black Lake.

     Bianca took in a breath of air, as she stepped out into the fresh breeze. The yard she had just come from was outside of course, but you could end up feeling trapped sat there and it was nowhere near as refreshing as it was by the water.

     She followed the quickest route to the castle's own 'beach' if you will (minus the sand ─ they were rocks. And it wasn't a sea ─ it was a relatively large lake).

     She soon noticed him, not too far in the distance, so she decided to casually walk along the gravel path, till he noticed her and hopefully made conversation.

     "Oh hey Bianca," he smiled, hearing the crunches of rocks underneath her shoes.

     "Hiya Miles," she smiled back, pretending she didn't just follow him there. He was sat, legs crossed, leaning up against a tree on the grassy area behind the rocks that made the shore. He had a book open in his hands, resting on his knees. "You read?" she questioned, slightly surprised and slightly expecting to see Quidditch through the ages as the title.

     "Is that a crime?" he tilted his head at her.

     "No, no, not at all, it's just-"

     "You didn't think I was one to enjoy reading purely for amusement." he finished her sentence, nodding his head, knowing he was right.

     "Yeah . . ." she said, feeling guilty that she had expected that little of him.

     "No that's okay. I see why." he shrugged. Miles was a jock. Not a bookworm. At least that's what people thought.

     "Sorry Miles." she offered him a sheepish smile, to which he smiled forgivingly back. "So uh, what are you reading?"

     He lifted the cover of the book so she could read the title.

     "You're reading The Great Gatsby?" she asked in disbelief.

     "Don't sound so surprised." he chuckled. "It's a masterpiece."

     "Holy shit," she said under her breath, "I just didn't think anyone that went to this school read stuff by muggles."

     "Well, here I am." he smiled, before patting the area next to him, gesturing for her to sit beside him and she gladly accepted, perching herself beside him, leaning against the bare trunk. "You reading anything in particular at the moment Bianca?" he asked sweetly.

     Bianca had never been asked what she was reading at the moment. She didn't really think anyone cared or had even heard of any of the titles of what she was reading.

     "I'm rereading The Importance of Being Earnest." she smiled sweetly.

     "Oh wow, you like plays then huh?" he smirked.

     "Y-you know that it's a play?" she stuttered, still completely taken aback that someone as well as herself read muggle novels and more surprisingly, plays.

     "Yeah of course; it's Oscar Wilde," he said like it was nothing, but to Bianca, she was shocked but in the best way possible.

     Bianca loved Oscar Wilde. She had read practically all his works, including the poems. He was a muggle and died about ninety years ago so she assumed no one had heard of him. And if they did, especially someone like Miles would probably ridicule him and his works just because he happened to be a homosexual. But oh how she had turned out to be wrong.

     "That it is." she grinned and their eyes locked.

     "Although if I were going to reread a play by Wilde, it wouldn't be The Importance of Being Earnest," he said.

     "Really? It's the perfect combination between romance and comedy. I mean all of Wilde's plays are witty, but I'll never get bored of it."

     "I always found An Ideal Husband to be my favourite." he shrugged.

     Her mouth dropped slightly agape once again, "You mean to tell me, you know more than one play by the Oscar Wilde?" he nodded his head, chuckling to himself. "I mean, no one reads plays nowadays unless it's educational or they have to read it for whatever reason. And if they do, it's always-"

     "Shakespeare?" he took the word out of her mouth and she paused, taking all the shocking information in before laughing.

     "Exactly."

     'The boy is attractive and he reads for fun?' Bianca asked herself over and over, still trying to get her head around it.

     The boy noticed that her mouth was still open slightly in shock. He could tell how taken aback she was, "I may be a pureblood, but I don't live under a rock. People that don't read either don't take enough time for themselves, or have the attention span of a three-year-old."

     Bianca was amazed.

"Wow. People surprise you every day huh?"

     He grinned back at her, "I have practice in about fifteen minutes, but maybe we could finish this conversation over tea in Hogsmeade if you would like?" he asked her.

     Once they have reached their third year of Hogwarts, students at the school, as long as they could provide parental permission, may visit a place called Hogsmeade on selected weekends. These Hogsmeade weekends, occur every month or two and are eagerly anticipated by all eligible students, and the school is practically vacant on those days.

     It was a small, quaint village, not far from the castle itself. Despite the so-called 'scariest building in Britain', the little hamlet was sweet and comforting, like it had come out of some sort of doll village. It was particularly beautiful in winter when the snow had begun to fall and hot chocolate from Madam Puddifoot's was the best way to make up for the chilling temperatures.

     "That would be lovely." she smiled.

     "Great. How about I meet you by the carriages at twelve?" he asked, standing up and gathering his things.

     'Adrian won't care. I'll study with him later.' she thought to herself. 'Maybe he didn't hear Adrian yelling in the courtyard earlier?'

     "Sounds great. I'll see you there."

     She watched as the boy walked back to the grounds, the Great Gatsby, clutched in his swinging hand. The list briefly entered her mind, but she ignored it: she was just happy she had found someone that knew who Oscar freaking Wilde was.

     Bianca searched a few of the aisles that were so familiar to her until she eventually found the Slytherin boy, perched on a chair, his head in a book. His hair was wet from what she assumed was sweat. It was actually the aftermath of his shower; he knew she wouldn't stay long if he was all smelly and sweaty. What he didn't know, was that she wouldn't be staying that long anyway.

     "A book? That's new," she said approaching him, surprised he decided to spend his spare time where he was waiting for her to arrive, to read. It turns out, at a closer look, it was Quidditch through the ages, a book Bianca had seen him read before. One new bookworm discovery was enough for one day.

     He looked up at the sound of her voice, and closed the book, placing it on the desk beside him. "And I said I'd be the late one." he sighed.

     "I'm not even that late," she narrowed her eyes into his, "Besides, I'm not staying long."

     "What?"

     "I have a date," she shrugged with a smirk. She didn't know if it even was a date, or whether Miles was just being nice. That, or he did just want to get into her pants. But after today, Bianca saw Miles Bletchley in a whole new light.

     "A date? Since when?" he asked in disbelief.

     "Since like five minutes ago."

     "But you agreed to help me study?" he furrowed his eyebrows, not believing what she was telling him.

     "I'm aware, but now I have a date," she said in an obvious tone but she didn't seem to see the problem that Adrian saw this news as.

     He stood up now, "So let me get this straight, you agreed to a date, knowing that you had other commitments?"

     "Commitments?" she repeated, with a laugh, finding it amusing how he reacted, "you're making it out like you're my top priority, and I hate to break it to you Adrian, but you're not even close."

     "That's not what I'm doing!" he protested. He needed to study and he needed Bianca to help him do it. "Who's this douche you're going with anyway?"

     "Miles," she said, casually; her smirk now returned to her face. This was the part that she was most excited to tell him. Miles was number fourteen on the kiss list and Adrian's best friend. The fact the Miles asked her meant Bianca knew how angry this would make him feel, knowing she could be one step closer to him for fitting his place on his beloved team.

     The name hit Adrian like a knife to his stomach. Miles? As in his closest friend since first year? It sounded pathetic, but Adrian felt betrayed. 'What happened to bro code?' Miles knew about his feelings for Bianca. Not like that. 'Feelings' was probably the wrong word. Miles knew of Adrian's opinions of Bianca. They were enemies. You don't 'date' your best friend's enemy.

     He knew that Miles didn't know about the kiss list and the fact he was on it, but he couldn't help his blood from boiling.

     "Miles? Are you kidding me?" he almost yelled.

     "Woah, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. Was it the loss of human contact? Did not enough people visit you in hospital that you forgot how to socialize? Was that it? Is that why you're so aggy?" she asked derisively, tilting her head slightly at him.

     "Don't play sarcastic with me Larsson. I'm 'aggy' because you completely bailed on me! With my best friend!" his volume increased, as did his nerve.

     "Are you forgetting the point of the list Adrian? Because as I recall, I'm meant to kiss everyone on it, Miles included!" she argued, "so what if he's your 'best mate', you were the one that put him on there in the first place!"

     "So what am I meant to do? You want me to fail then?" he asked.

     "I came over here to reschedule you lunatic! I have the rest of the day, you know? Hogsmeade is a privilege you prick! We don't exactly get to go every weekend. The test isn't till Monday!" she yelled for the first time ever in a library. There were a few hushes from students trying to read or study or complete homework in peace. The row between the two was most definitely disturbing them.

     "That doesn't change the fact that I asked you first!" he replied bitterly.

     "You asked me to study. Miles asked me out. He also happens to be on the list. You think I was gonna turn it down so I could spend time with you?" she asked, not believing his arguments.

     "How do you think he would feel if he found out you were using him huh?" Adrian tried to use defending his best friend as an argument.

     "You came up with the damn thing! And besides, Miles asked me! I want to go because I've finally found someone that's not as dense as everyone else in this stupid school!" she argued.

     She didn't feel that she was using him, because he was the one that wanted to talk to her about books for merlin's sake. Which, being the nerd that should technically be a Ravenclaw that she is, would obviously happily agree to do. Yes, she had thought about the list, but at this point, after the conversation they had had that she so deeply enjoyed, she wouldn't even mind if they didn't kiss. It was technically only one 'date'.

     "I had the decency to tell you that I wasn't going to be able to help you. I could have just left without a word. Surely that's worse? But I guess you're too sour to realize huh?"

     He scoffed, and shook his head, all whilst pursuing his lips, "You're infuriating, you know that?"

     "What because I'm about to cross off number four?" she crossed her arms.

     "N-number four?" he furrowed his eyebrows. His mind was racing for the third: Katie, Jeremy . . . Then it hit him: "You kissed Maxine and you didn't tell me?"

     "I thought you had your sources? Did your spies not catch that?"

     "Of course I don't have fucking spies Larsson! I'm not a stalker for crying out loud! I do respect your privacy you know?" the book itself containing all of the photos of the list made Bianca beg to differ. "At least not ones that I've employed," he finished, referring to that one second year that saw Bianca and Jeremy Stretton making out.

     "You can forget the little 'study date'." she scowled at him and he scoffed, "Stop being so bitter Adrian and grow up," her voice was more relaxed because she knew she had won. Sure, she did agree to help Adrian, but the list was her priority, not him passing an exam.

     'What a complete overreaction.' she rolled her eyes. 'He's just jealous' she told herself.

     Maybe he was? He didn't know why he had such a go at her, but he didn't regret it. It might have been the thought of his enemy and best friend, all cuddled up together in a booth in the three broomsticks that fueled his rage.

     She shook her head and stormed off, leaving the Slytherin boy, salty as ever, still in a bit of shock.

     "And you were how old?" Miles asked in disbelief.

     "Nine," she said casually, yet with much pride, taking a sip of her tea as the two sat in Madam Puddifoot's teashop.

     "You're telling me a nine-year-old understood Arthur Conan Doyle's writing style?"

     The two had been there no more than an hour, but it felt so relieving to talk to someone about her favourite novels and authors for Bianca. They had already discussed Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, and Miles' personal favourite novel: One hundred years of solitude by Gabriel García Márquez. She was hoping he wasn't getting bored - most would be by now - but he seemed to be enjoying it just as much as he was (unless it was all an act just to get in her pants ─ she so desperately hoped it wasn't). Then Bianca just assumed that Miles' friends didn't read either so no one got his 'bookworm side' like she did.

     They were now moving from his favourite to hers.

     "She did." Bianca laughed. Doyle's writing was hard to follow, but Bianca had read Hamlet at the age of seven and could understand the Shakespearean language far better than most adults. "The Sherlock Holmes series is by far the greatest novel franchise of our age!"

     "You're not wrong there, Larsson."

     It was now late afternoon, and the sun was setting behind the little shops in the village. The leaves crunched beneath them as the two of them strolled alongside each other; their hands grazing one another now and then.

     They had left the teashop; Miles so kindly paying for Bianca's drink and little cake like the gentleman that she was now starting to see him as.

     "So, tell me about yourself, Miles. Something I wouldn't know already because apparently I completely misjudged you," she chuckled.

     "Um okay," he thought for a moment, staring up at the sky that was dimming by the minute, "I have a fear of snakes," he admitted, causing Bianca to let out a little laugh, that she immediately tried to cover up because she felt bad. "No, go ahead, laugh. It's ironic, I know. But they move weirdly and it creeps me out," he said in a sort of whiney tone, but her laugh was so contagious, he laughed himself.

     "That's . . . " she didn't quite know what to say and was trying to form her words in between her laughs, "That's interesting Miles," she said sarcastically, before bursting into more laughter.

     He smiled at her in awe at her laugh. It was perfect. Angelic, but also goofy. Bianca had definitely changed her opinions about Miles, but he had changed his about her too. She was a fun person that actually had a sense of humor. He loved how passionate she was about books and how she liked it so much that he was too.

     She looked up to see him looking at her, "What?" she asked, slightly flirtatiously.

     "Nothing, you're just really pretty that's all. I've never really seen you laugh like this Bianca. It looks good on you. You should do it more often."

     "Maybe it's just because you're a really funny guy," she tilted her head and bit her bottom lip, stopping her grin from growing any wider. Since when could she have this much fun when being with someone like Miles Bletchley? A snake as well. But not as much now she knew he had a fear of them.

     Their eyes were connected.

     Miles had beautiful eyes, and Bianca had only just noticed how they sparkled. They were like shiny, golden orbs.

     Bianca had beautiful eyes too. Everyone knew it. But Miles had never seen them like this. She was a little shorter than him and he had to look down slightly, just to see how they glowed.

     Now felt like the perfect moment.

     Miles edged closer and leaned over to cup her cheek. He connected their lips and after reaching up to meet his, but having to balance on the balls of her feet, she melted into it.

     His lips were smooth and although it wasn't as gentle as the one she had shared with Maxine, he was still delicate with her.

     He pulled her closer to him by her waist and their lips moved in harmony.

     Bianca wasn't sure whether he just wanted to kiss her because he was desperate like her and Max had previously suspected or whether he wanted to kiss her because it felt right after they had spent a nice afternoon together.

     In Miles' case, the second reason was in fact correct.

     She thought about the list and whether or not this felt wrong. She couldn't quite tell Miles straight after the kiss about the whole bet she and his best friend had going on, because, although he was sweet, she could confide in Maxine. It was a different sort of situation.

     But then she thought about their conversation by the lake earlier and how she enjoyed talking to someone about Oscar Wilde ─ practically her idol ─ and how he was actually a very easy person to be around: a gentleman.

     The kiss? That was just a bonus after a nice afternoon out.

     He pulled away reluctantly and they smiled at each other for a few seconds; their foreheads almost touching and his hand still resting on her cheek; her hands cupped around his.

     "There's this Halloween party next week, would you possibly want to go? I could get you in if you wanted to." he smiled sweetly.

     Bianca hated parties. Miles probably knew that too. But maybe this meant he liked her?

     She also hated Halloween.

     But then she remembered why she agreed to this stupid bet in the first place: to let loose. To let off some steam. A party would certainly help with that.

     "That sounds fun."