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Zayn’s back is turned when he’s hit with the familiar shiver of a spell and sees a small, short burst of light surround himself before it disappears completely.
There’s only one other person in the Ravenclaw common room so he turns towards them, eyes narrowed.
“Louis, what did you do?” he grits out. The remnants of the spell still linger on his skin and it leaves an odd hum that doesn’t sit quite right with Zayn.
Louis stares at him wide-eyed. “Oh shit.”
Zayn doesn’t have the patience for this. He’s already late meeting Liam and while he knows that Liam is probably fine with waiting for him, he doesn’t want to make him.
“What did you do?” Zayn repeats and outside he can hear a crackle of thunder and through the window the sun quickly disappears behind a thick layer of grey clouds. It starts to rain.
Louis seems to notice the sudden change in weather too. “Um,” he says, unintelligibly. Zayn can see the movement in Louis’ throat as he swallows. “Don’t get mad.”
Zayn’s eyes narrow even more. “Don’t get mad about what?” he asks warily. There’s a flash of lightning and a few seconds later a loud boom of thunder follows. The storm’s close.
“It’s a spell,” Louis says. Unhelpfully. He seems to realise Zayn’s getting more upset and he rushes to continue. “And basically the weather’s gonna change with your emotions. Okay. Bye.”
Louis picks up his books and runs out of the room.
“Louis! Get back here!” Zayn calls out, but Louis’ already long gone. He’s probably run to the Gryffindor common room to hide with Harry.
Outside, through the heavy downpour, flashes of lighting light up the sky and there’s a loud clap of thunder every few seconds.
Zayn’s hands are clenched into fists.
He sits down and forces himself to breathe deeply. This isn’t the end of the world. He’ll track down Louis and they’ll find a way to reverse the spell. Maybe get Niall to help too. He’s always been good with spells.
The rain starts to lessen and the lighting and thunder are further apart now.
There’s a knock on the door.
While Zayn needs to find Louis eventually, if he sees his face now it’ll probably end in bloodshed.
“Not now Louis,” he practically growls.
“Not Louis, mate,” a familiar but unexpected voice says. “Though he is the one who told me to come visit you.”
He opens his eyes and sees Liam standing there, with a tentative smile on his face.
Zayn can’t help but smile back. “Hi,” he says, and he gets the proper Liam smile directed at him, crinkly eyes and all. “How’d you get in?”
“Never underestimate my charm,” Liam says, jokingly.
Zayn rolls his eyes, remembering that he told Liam a few of the answers to the riddles used to gain entrance. “Of course,” he says, and he tries to say it sarcastically but it comes out a lot fonder than he hoped for.
Outside the rain has stopped and the storm clouds are gone.
“You alright?” Liam asks, worry evident on his face. “You seemed a bit stressed when I came in.”
For some reason, Zayn doesn’t want to tell Liam about the spell just yet. “Yeah, I’m fine,” he says. When Liam still looks a bit worried, he adds, “Just Louis, you know?”
Liam laughs, eyes crinkling again. “Yeah, I know what you mean,” he says.
They were supposed to go out to Hogsmeade today and Zayn feels a stab of guilt when he thinks about it.
“Did you still wanna go out?” Zayn asks. To be honest, Zayn’s a bit wary of going outside. He doesn’t wanna see the results of the storm he conjured up.
“Nah,” Liam says. “Did you see the weather? Seems a bit crazy.”
Zayn chuckles awkwardly. “Yeah,” he says quietly, panicking a bit.
“Reckon we could just stay in?” Liam says, hopeful, and Zayn thinks he spots a bit of nervousness in his expression but that doesn’t make any sense really.
“Sounds great,” Zayn says, and they both grin at each other stupidly before Liam settles to sit next to Zayn.
The sun is bright and there’s not a cloud in the sky. Birds start to chirp and Zayn can feel the heat of the sun start to warm up the room.
Zayn catches Liam’s eye and they’re just sitting there smiling at each other. The brightness intensifies enough that it’s a bit blinding.
This could be bad.
-
Louis, of course, laughs about it when they bump into each other in the courtyard. “I’m assuming Liam is the reason for this sudden change in weather?” he says smugly.
Next to Louis, Harry looks back and forth between them amused.
It takes all of Zayn’s willpower not to choke Louis right then and there.
Louis seems to realise this as the sky darkens substantially. He hides behind Harry.
“So,” Harry drawls. “This weather lately?”
There’s a glint in his eyes and Zayn has no doubt that Louis filled him in on everything.
Zayn sighs. He can be angry with Louis later.
“How do you fix it, Louis?” he asks, and his eye twitches when Louis’ face blanches.
“Well, you see,” Louis starts. “I don’t know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know?”
“There weren’t any instructions in the book on how to reverse it?” Louis says quickly.
Zayn steps forward but Harry’s there in an instant with a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
“We’ll find the reversal spell,” Harry says. “Don’t worry.”
-
They end up dragging Niall with them, and the four of them scour the library for a solution.
“This would be easier with another person,” Louis says. “Why don’t we ask Liam for help?”
The five of them have been together since first year, the fact that they’re in different houses not even an issue.
There’s this certain type of bond you get when you all travel together in the same carriage, on the Hogwarts Express for the first time ever. Zayn had been frightened out of his mind, and the fact that the other four were there was a blessing.
Now though, Zayn’s not too sure.
“You don’t get an opinion,” Zayn says.
Louis starts to protest but Niall cuts him off. “Well you did do this,” Niall agrees. “We’re just helping you.”
There are books all around them and they chose the most secluded part of the library, away from all the windows for Zayn’s sake.
After a few hours, they still haven’t found anything.
It’s near dinnertime and all of them are a bit exhausted.
“I feel like my eyes are gonna pop out,” Harry says, leaning his head on the table. “I think I’ve read more now than I ever have studying.”
“I’m starved,” Niall says. “Let’s eat some dinner and keep looking later.”
Zayn wants to protest but he can tell they’re all a bit tired.
“Alright,” he says. Zayn doesn’t really want to be stuck with this spell forever but they do need a break.
They’re all up and ready to leave when they notice Louis still had his head down, reading through one of the books.
“Louis?” Harry says.
Louis looks up. “You guys go ahead,” he says. “I’ll come down in a bit.” Then he goes back to reading.
Zayn exchanges glances with Harry and Niall. “I’ll talk to him,” Zayn says, and then pushes the two of them away.
When they’re gone, Zayn sits next to Louis.
“Let’s go eat,” he says.
“In a minute,” is all the reply he gets, so Zayn pulls the book out of Louis’ hands.
Louis starts to protest but it dies out quickly.
“I’m really sorry,” Louis says. “I don’t think I’ve said it yet.”
While Zayn had been angry with Louis in the beginning, the anger has kind of dissipated. He just wants the spell gone. He knows that Louis hadn’t done it with any bad intentions.
“I know,” Zayn says, and he wraps an arm around Louis’ back.
“I really didn’t mean for it to happen,” Louis continues. “I didn’t even think it would work. I just read it off the page.”
“It’s alright,” Zayn says. Though Louis can be a bit of a pain at times, and sometimes he doesn’t know when to stop, Zayn knows he’s kind at heart.
“I’ll do everything to find a way to reverse it,” Louis says, determination in his eyes.
“I know,” Zayn says again. “But I can tell that you’re tired so let’s go get some dinner.”
“Okay,” Louis says, standing up. “We’re good?”
“Yeah we’re good,” Zayn replies and then Louis’ back to normal talking about something that happened in Muggle Studies.
When they enter the Great Hall, Niall and Harry are already sitting with Liam.
They’re supposed to be in their own houses, but the professors had gotten used to the five of them somehow ending up at the same table that they stopped trying to stop it.
“Hey,” Liam says smiling when the two of them reach the others. Liam moves over to make some room. Louis, of course, pushes Zayn into the seat right next to Liam. “Where were you guys? I tried to look for all of you earlier but I couldn’t find anyone. Niall and Harry said you were all in the library.”
Liam looks a bit dubious saying that, which makes sense because they don’t spend a lot of time in the library and usually not together.
“Yeah, we were,” Zayn says reaching over to grab some food. He’s starved. “Just researching.”
“Oh,” Liam says. He looks a bit dejected and Zayn realises he probably feels left out. “What about?”
Zayn flounders for a bit, and Louis says, “One of my spells went a bit haywire. Needed to check that nothing too bad was gonna happen. Four eyes are better than one, you know.”
“I could’ve helped,” Liam says, a little sadly.
Zayn wraps an arm around Liam’s shoulders and squeezes. “Didn’t wanna bore you. Next time it’ll be the five of us,” he says, smiling.
Liam smiles back and then they get distracted as Harry and Niall fight over who can have the last piece of chicken.
-
They don’t find anything for the next three days.
Zayn’s getting a bit restless and it’s evident in the way the sky starts filling up with grey clouds.
There’s a quidditch game in two days, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin, so there’s high tension around the school. Those matches are nearly almost always legendary.
Within their group, there’s a healthy rivalry between Harry and Louis, the two of them quipping each other with easy banter.
While Liam also plays for Gryffindor with Harry, he tends to keep out of it.
Niall interrupts Harry and Louis as the start arguing over whether Harry will even get close enough to Louis for him to block Harry’s goal. “It doesn’t matter anyway,” Niall says, grinning. “Liam here’s gonna catch that snitch and win, aren’t you?”
Liam flushes under the compliment. “Yeah, of course,” he says and Zayn smiles at him when their eyes meet.
-
On the day of the game, Zayn tries to keep his mood up.
While the quidditch matches are usually played rain or shine, the excited buzz not hindered by the gloom that grey clouds bring, when it’s bright and sunny there’s a better atmosphere.
The current sky is cloudy but bright, the sun hidden. At least it’s not raining, Zayn thinks.
He sticks with Niall the entire time as Niall makes a running commentary on everything that’s happening.
Zayn tends to ignore him most of the time, focusing on Lia—the game instead.
Slytherin’s currently in the lead and Louis cheers as he knocks back another quaffle thrown by Harry.
Zayn isn’t really paying attention to that though. His eyes are stuck following Liam, flying effortlessly on his broomstick, in a race with the Slytherin seeker – Nick Grimshaw, Zayn notes – in an attempt to catch the snitch.
The snitch is so fast that from where Zayn is, he can barely see it as it moves.
Liam’s ahead and he reaches out with his hand, his fingertips so close to the snitch yet not close enough.
He’s knocked off to the side by Nick and Zayn sucks in a sharp breath as he watches Liam and his broomstick spinning. There’s a crackle of thunder.
He rights himself, quick enough, and rushes to catch up to Nick.
They’re head to head and both of them reach out, the snitch right at the tip of their fingertips.
At the last moment Liam rushes forward, catching the snitch, and Zayn joins the crowd as loud cheers fill the arena.
The sun bursts through the clouds with a sudden intensity and the beams of sunlight make it look like there’s a halo surrounding Liam’s head.
-
After the match is hectic and there are so many people in the stands getting ready to leave that it’s hard to move around, much less try to walk to the exits.
As per custom, the five of them usually meet up, no matter the outcome of the match and Zayn is intent on congratulating Liam and Harry and making sure that Louis isn’t sulking too much.
The game was so intense that Zayn’s still feeling a bit keyed up and Niall seems to notice when Zayn’s trying to push his way past everyone.
“We’ll see them soon enough,” Niall says. “Liam will still be there.”
Zayn’s crush on Liam isn’t exactly secret. Well, not to everyone but Liam. But it still makes him flustered so he snaps a quick, “Shut up, Niall,” before trying to walk ahead.
If anyone asked Zayn when his feelings for Liam started developing into something more, he wouldn’t be able to pinpoint an exact moment.
It was a slow growing process, until one day, Zayn just looked at Liam and couldn’t imagine a life without knowing him.
Maybe it started when they were in first year. When Zayn, a newly appointed Ravenclaw, was having trouble with learning how to fly. It was Liam who helped him then. Liam who was a natural at flying, and who showed him how it wasn’t scary, and was patient even when Zayn was stubborn.
Or maybe it started when they were in second year. When Zayn was struggling with the fact that he wasn’t a pure blood, unlike the rest of them and the fact that somehow after everything, there were still some people who found fault in that.
It was Liam who helped him through it. Liam who saw that something was wrong, even though at the time the two of them still weren’t that close. It was Liam who saw Zayn being cornered and spat at. It was Liam who helped him. It was Liam who looked so angry and fought them enough that they never bothered Zayn again.
All that Zayn knows is that slowly, through the years, Liam wormed his way into making Zayn care about him. And somehow Liam – brilliant, kind, loving Liam – cared for Zayn too.
Zayn, who was never going to be as interesting as Liam and never going to be as loved by everyone as Liam was. Zayn was never going to be good enough for Liam. And yet, Liam was there, the entire time. Liam, who let Zayn be himself and spent so much time with Zayn, even though there were so many better options.
So Zayn doesn’t know exactly when his feeling for Liam started. He just knows they’re there and that he wouldn’t risk doing anything – not if it means jeopardising the friendship he has with Liam.
Through the crowd Zayn finally spots Liam walking next to Harry and Louis.
Zayn turns to Niall to tell him that he’s spotted them and when he turns back, Liam catches his eye.
They smile at each other and Zayn is so eager to congratulate him because he was amazing. He really was.
The crowd starts to part as they head in the opposite direction and Zayn picks up his pace.
Liam starts to walk towards him too.
Liam only takes a few steps, though, before a girl slides up to him and grabs his attention, making him stop.
Zayn stops walking, too.
Zayn recognises her as a Gryffindor prefect, like Liam. Her name’s Sophia and she’s in his Charms class. She’s gorgeous and in the few times Zayn’s spoken to her, he knows she’s lovely. Everyone only has good things to say about her.
Liam’s smiling down at her and there’s a pang in Zayn’s chest as she casually touches Liam’s arm and grabs hold.
Zayn watches as Liam says a quick word to Harry and Louis before he’s being dragged away. Their eyes meet again as Liam glances back, the connection only severed when he’s out of Zayn’s view.
Niall, who watched it all happen, puts an arm around Zayn’s shoulder.
“You alright?” he asks.
Zayn shakes his head. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
And then they walk forward to congratulate Harry and console Louis.
-
Zayn starts seeing Liam with Sophia a lot more after that.
They’re spending so much more time together that even other people begin to notice.
He’s walking down the hall when he hears Liam’s name being whispered by a couple of younger students. They’re around the corner and walking in his direction and Zayn doesn’t know why but he stops in his tracks and listens.
“I can’t believe he’s taken,” a girl says.
“Who? Liam?” her friend asks.
“Yeah, with Sophia,” the girl replies. “They look amazing together.”
And it’s true. Zayn can admit that much. Sophia and Liam look great together. Sophia’s so perfect and beautiful and kind that Zayn can’t blame Liam.
He’s about to keep walking, because he really doesn’t want to hear this when the other girl makes a surprised noise.
“What?” her friend says. “I always thought he had a thing with –”
Zayn doesn’t get to hear what she was going to say next because they turn the corner and immediately shut up when they spot him.
Zayn smiles at them and pretends like he wasn’t just standing there listening to their conversation and continues walking.
He’s wondering about who the girl was talking about because the last person that Liam dated was Danielle and while they lasted a few years, it was a while back and there hasn’t been anyone since.
Well no one serious that Zayn knows about.
He still remembers that time in fifth year when he stumbled into the Ravenclaw common room to see Liam making out with one of the guys from the lower years.
It was the first time that Zayn had found out that Liam’s interest branches further out than just girls and he remembers the hot flush of jealousy than ran through his entire being when he stumbled upon them. Then the faint veil of hope, because maybe he has a chance, but that quickly faded when he noticed how gorgeous Liam’s partner was.
Zayn’s so lost in his thoughts that he doesn’t realise that he’s walked right into another conversation until he hears a familiar voice drift through.
“I’m so nervous though,” a girl says. “Finally meeting the parents.”
“You’ll be fine,” a male voice replies. It’s Liam. Zayn would recognise that voice anywhere. “Any parent would be lucky to have their son dating someone like you.”
The girl – Sophia, Zayn realises – laughs. “You’re just saying that because you have to.”
“I definitely don’t,” Liam says, and Zayn can imagine the smile on his face. “I know my parents would be happy to meet you.”
Zayn feels like his stomach dropped. Sophia’s meeting Liam’s parents. His heart starts beating faster and he just wants to get out of there. He doesn’t want to hear another word.
He turns around and leaves quickly, not even caring where he’s going.
He passes by a window and outside he sees that the sun isn’t shining. It isn’t even raining. The sky is just a dark grey – cold, blank, empty.
-
Zayn starts to avoid Liam.
It’s easier than he thought it would be. He doesn’t go down for breakfast. Instead, he chooses to sleep in and just grab something on his way to class.
He’s able to avoid Liam on the way to class and during classes. He pretends not to notice Liam trying to catch his eye.
When dinner rolls around he sits on the opposite side of where Liam is, as far away as he can be. Next to him, Harry gives him a weird look but doesn’t comment.
Afterwards, he rushes out of the Great Hall and pretends not to hear when Liam calls out his name.
Louis finds him in the Ravenclaw common room. Zayn doesn’t really know how he gets in but assumes one of the younger students, who are still intimidated by Louis, just listen to his every word.
Louis sits next to Zayn on the couch. “Are you alright?” he asks, brow furrowed.
Zayn looks up from the book he’s reading. It’s still a bit early, so there’s no one in the room with them just yet.
“I’m fine,” he says.
Louis looks at him unbelievingly. “Really,” he says, “because the weather –“
“It’s not raining,” Zayn interrupts. “Not even storming.”
“I don’t know if this is worse,” Louis says underneath his breath.
Zayn glares at him.
“Liam thinks you’re ignoring him,” Louis says and he has to notice the way Zayn visibly stiffens. It hasn’t even been a full day, he thinks.
“I’m not,” Zayn says, but even to him it sounds weak.
“Do you want to talk about it?” Louis asks.
“No,” Zayn says.
“Alright,” Louis says, “I’ll let it go because you look poorly.” Zayn huffs. “Now what are you reading?”
Happy to jump on Louis’ topic change, Zayn starts to tell him about the development of the N.E.W.T.s.
-
Louis leaves when its time for everyone to go back to their rooms.
When everyone’s asleep and the chatter has died down, leaving only the sounds of the even breathing and occasional snore of everyone in the room, Zayn lies there on his bed wide awake.
He can’t seem to fall asleep, and no matter how much he tosses and turns he can’t get comfortable either. His thoughts are filled with Liam, no matter what he tries.
Giving up on sleep altogether, Zayn gets up and pads out of the room.
He’s not new to sneaking out and he’s remembered the schedule of professors who trawl around the corridors at night enough, that he knows which way to go without being caught.
Zayn ends up on the fourth floor balcony. It’s one of the few balconies at Hogwarts and definitely his favourite. It’s where he goes whenever he just needs some time to himself.
He just sits on the ground, leaning against the wall. Looking up at the sky, the moon is bright. Zayn’s glad that changes in weather aren’t as noticeable at night. Not that it would’ve mattered anyway. It’s been a constant bleak, grey sky the entire day.
Zayn closes his eyes, the cold air feeling good on his skin. He feels calmer than he has all day.
A sound to his left makes his eyes snap open, and thinking a professor has finally caught him, he’s about to get up and apologise but when he turns, there’s nothing there.
Nothing there, that is, until Liam’s head suddenly appears, making Zayn jump in fright.
Taking the rest of his invisibility cloak off, Liam chuckles and then smiles sheepishly at Zayn.
“Sorry,” Liam says, “didn’t mean to scare you.”
Zayn’s trying to calm to rapid beating of his heart. Seeing Liam’s smile still directed at him isn’t helping. “No worries,” he says, aiming for nonchalant.
Zayn looks away, not wanting to see Liam’s face anymore. There’s an ache in his chest and he came out here to avoid it all.
“What are you doing here?” Zayn asks, and even he can hear that he sounds tired.
There’s a pause and when Zayn looks back at Liam, he’s no longer smiling. His eyebrows are furrowed together.
“I was hoping you were out here, actually.”
The fact that Liam somehow knew where Zayn would be, even though Zayn just stumbled out there subconsciously makes his chest hurt a bit more.
“Why?” he asks, looking away from Liam again. The moon’s partially hidden by clouds.
“Have I done anything wrong?” Liam asks, quietly. Zayn knows that if he looks at Liam, he’ll end up agreeing to anything because he just knows that this is what Liam sounds like when he’s sad. So he closes his eyes.
“No, of course not.” Zayn says, because Liam hasn’t. Just because he doesn’t want Zayn like Zayn wants Liam, doesn’t mean that Liam’s done anything wrong.
“Are you upset with me?” Liam questions further.
“No.”
“Then why have you been avoiding me?”
“I haven’t,” Zayn says, but he knows it isn’t convincing. They spend so much time together that the fact that they haven’t spoken to each other all day and that Zayn has barely even glanced at Liam is odd.
“Zayn,” is all that Liam says, and it’s pleading enough that it’s all it takes for Zayn to feel bad and cave in.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to,” Zayn says, looking at Liam and hating himself for being the one to put the sadness on Liam’s face.
“Okay,” Liam says, just accepting it.
It’s a flimsy excuse, Zayn knows, but Liam has always known when to push and when to just let it go. He just knows how to read Zayn, and it’s one of the reasons why Zayn loves him to begin with. If only Liam could pick up on that.
But then he smiles at Zayn and sits down next to him; Liam’s sadness gone like it was never there to begin with.
It makes Zayn smile too, and even though he knows it’ll hurt him to see Liam when he knows now for sure that he can never have him, at least Liam will be okay. Zayn can do that.
They sit there talking about everything and anything, like it was more than just one day where they didn’t talk to each other and it lifts up Zayn’s spirits.
Day breaks and the sun rises, and the two of them are still next to each other, sleepy but content, and this time the day starts clear and bright with no more rain or clouds to hide it.
-
There’s still no cure.
It feels like they’ve looked through every single relevant book that they can find but they’ve still haven’t found anything.
The sun, however, has still been shining.
It’s been a few days since Zayn’s chat with Liam, and Zayn doesn’t feel as bad as he did before.
(That morning, Louis had looked at their tired states at breakfast and the sunny skies and said “fucking finally” loud enough that everyone in the Great Hall heard and for a professor to deduct 10 points from Slytherin.)
Zayn is content taking what he can, and with his new resolve, just being around Liam makes him happy enough that the weather hasn’t been affected at all. It helps that Zayn hasn’t seen Sophia around, so he can just push those depressing thoughts to the back of his mind.
Zayn’s late to dinner, having been stuck in the library finishing his essay for potions for the past few hours. Finally finished, he’s smiling as he walks and all he wants to do is stuff his face full of food and hang out with his mates.
He walks into the Great Hall and heads to the Hufflepuff table. They usually switch it up a bit, taking turns at which table they sit at and this time it’s at Niall’s house.
Zayn stops in his tracks, however, when he sees Sophia sitting with the other four. Right next to Liam.
He shakes his head to clear the jumble of his brain. Realistically, he knew this could happen. Sophia’s going to go meet Liam’s parents, so of course Liam’s going to introduce Sophia as his girlfriend to all of them.
Zayn continues walking and sits across from Liam and Sophia, next to Louis.
“Hey everyone,” he says, forcing a smile onto his face.
Louis gives him a pointed look as Zayn sits down but Zayn just shakes his head.
Zayn can deal with this. He’ll have to deal with it if he wants to keep Liam.
“Hey Zayn,” Sophia says, smiling.
Zayn nods at her perfunctory before turning to Louis and striking a conversation.
He’s doing his best not to act any differently but he can see Liam and Sophia talking to each other and it makes him tense. He doesn’t feel like eating but he piles food onto his plate and picks at it to give him something to focus on.
Right in front of him, Sophia’s saying something and the rest of the table laughs with her. Zayn can’t concentrate on what she’s saying through the white noise going through his head.
He stabs at a pea on his plate.
“Are you alright?” Liam asks him, and Zayn looks up. He realises Liam must’ve repeated the question a few times because the five of them are looking at him and he can see the concerned glances everyone is giving him.
Niall and Harry seemed to have caught on as to why he’s acting this way, judging by the way their looks of pity match the one Louis is giving him.
Even Sophia looks concerned, though Zayn shouldn’t be surprised. Of course, she does. She’s literally perfect.
“I’m fine,” Zayn says, looking back down at his plate.
He doesn’t think anyone is convinced but they drop it, thankfully, and Zayn tries to eat a few more bites.
Liam makes a startled noise and Zayn looks up automatically, only wishing he hadn’t when he sees Sophia helping Liam wipe away a spill on Liam’s robe.
Liam smiles at Sophia, his eyes all crinkly while he thanks her and Zayn can’t stand it anymore.
He stands up abruptly and excuses himself. His plate of food looks barely touched but he leaves before anyone can say anything.
He goes straight to his room and then lies in bed, ignoring the thunder and lightning and heavy rain outside.
Worn out by his emotions, eventually he falls asleep.
-
Zayn starts to ignore Liam again because it hurts.
He thought he could do it. He thought he could be happy just being around Liam, but it’s harder than he thought and he has enough self-preservation to avoid Liam when he knows it’ll hurt him more to be so close to having what he actually wants.
He avoids Liam more thoroughly now and lasts longer than one day.
Louis notices straight away and scolds Zayn for skipping all the meals in the Great Hall for three days in a row. He’d been sneaking into the kitchens after every meal and luckily a few house-elves were kind enough to give him some of the leftovers each time.
It isn’t a lot though, definitely not as much as he usually eats, and he knows it won’t be long before the house-elves’ patience will wear thin.
After being threatened with curses, Zayn agrees he’ll stop skipping meals.
The day after though, when he’s entering the Great Hall, Zayn feels a slight panic at the prospect of being confronted by Liam so even though he sees all of his friends converged at the Slytherin table, he walks past and sits at the Ravenclaw table next to Cher and Perrie.
If they notice something is off, luckily they don’t say anything and they continue chatting about one of the charms they’re learning in class. They include Zayn in the conversation and Zayn is so glad that they aren’t making it awkward that he brightens up a bit.
From across the room, Zayn catches Louis’ eyes and he can see slight sadness but all he can do is shrug. He isn’t ready to talk to Liam. Not yet.
When he’s looking away, he accidentally meets Liam’s eyes too. Zayn flinches slightly and turns away quickly but not before he sees the blank look Liam gives him and the way he turns away too.
-
Niall and Harry catch him when he’s on his way to breakfast, a week after he first began avoiding Liam.
Zayn’s still a bit tired and he feels guilty at how since he’s been avoiding Liam, he hasn’t been spending a lot of time around them too.
He’s mostly been holed up in the library, trying to find a way to break the spell. Though that’s more of as a distraction from his thoughts, than a real determination to actually reverse the spell.
Zayn knows he’s going to have to be around Liam at some point, so he accepts his fate and follows Harry and Niall as they urge him to sit with them again.
Louis’ already there, and he smiles when he sees Zayn with Harry and Niall. Liam isn’t there yet, and the relief that fills Zayn makes him feel a bit sad too.
“I knew they’d get you here eventually,” Louis says, patting the seat next to him.
“Of course. We’re Zayn’s favourites,” Harry says, grinning.
Zayn rolls his eyes but he laughs and sits down next to Louis.
He’s missed everyone. They devolve into easy chatter, with Niall talking about the most recent quidditch match and Zayn smiles as he watches them.
Liam still hasn’t come, and Zayn has a faint hope that maybe Liam isn’t going to breakfast today but that hope is destroyed when the doors open and Liam spots them.
Zayn doesn’t know what he expected but it wasn’t Liam stomping up to them and slamming his palms down against the table.
“Well, aren’t we lucky to be graced with your presence,” Liam spits.
He looks furious, and Zayn doesn’t know what to do. He knew Liam would be mad, Louis had told him that much, but he thought maybe Liam would just ignore him back.
Liam’s outburst was loud enough that it attracted the attention of the students around them and Zayn can feel the pressure of their eyes.
Louis talks before Zayn can even think of what to say. “Liam, drop it,” Louis says.
But Liam just continues to stare at Zayn, hands curled into fists on the table.
“No.”
When Liam finally realises that Zayn isn’t going to say anything, he continues.
“I gave you space last time,” he says. “I thought we got over it.”
Zayn watches as the fight runs out of Liam and his anger dissipates into sadness.
“I thought we were alright. Why are you avoiding me, Zayn?” Liam asks, defeated.
This is a bit much for Zayn to take. He hates the fact that he made Liam this sad. The urge to tell Liam everything rises up like a sudden tide. Zayn wants to tell him, tell him that he loves him and that’s why he’s been avoiding him. Zayn wants to tell Liam to please give him time and to forgive him, because Zayn really doesn’t want to lose Liam.
Zayn opens his mouth, ready to say something but then Sophia comes up, excited, and bounds up to Liam.
And the courage Zayn felt leaves him. Watching them, Zayn knows he can’t tell Liam, not if he doesn’t want to ruin everything.
He stands up and leaves while Liam is distracted by Sophia.
Behind him he can hear Liam calling out his name, Sophia’s confused “did I interrupt something?” and Louis’ “stop being so blind, just look at the bloody sky” but he ignores it and walks away.
Outside the rain becomes heavier.
-
Breakfast is still going on and Zayn’s thinking about skipping his first class.
He’s walking around aimlessly, trying to think of a way to get rid of his feelings so that he and Liam can be friends again.
Zayn’s stomach grumbles. Today just isn’t his day.
He’s made his way to the Wooden Bridge and as he walks across he can see the way the grounds are covered in rain. He can barely see the buildings through its thickness.
He’s at the middle of the bridge when he hears loud footsteps and Liam’s voice calling out to him.
Zayn sees him at the end of the bridge, where Zayn just came from, and panics, looking towards the opposite end and wondering whether he can run it before Liam gets to him.
Liam seems to know what he’s thinking because he shouts, “Don’t even think about it!”
It makes Zayn freeze and he just sighs and accepts that this confrontation is going to happen.
After this, Liam probably won’t speak to him anymore.
Liam reaches him, and he’s breathing heavily, like he ran all the way out here.
Zayn feels guilty and he’s trying to prepare himself for what Liam’s going to say. He finds himself squeezing his eyes shut when he sees Liam open his mouth, because for some reason he thinks not seeing Liam’s face will ease it a bit.
There’s silence, and then Liam saying, “Do you not want to be friends anymore?”
It’s so ridiculous that Zayn opens his eyes and stares at Liam to see if he’s serious. But Liam’s looking to his side, out into the rain.
“How can you even say that? Of course I do,” Zayn says. And then he kind of falters and says quietly, “Do you not want to be friends?”
This makes Liam head turn quickly, and he stares at Zayn like he’s grown a second head. “Of course I want to be friends with you! You’re the one avoiding me!”
Zayn bites his lip. He didn’t think avoiding Liam would make him think that Zayn didn’t like him anymore.
“I’m sorry,” Zayn says.
He hears Liam sigh. “I know I left it last time, but I don’t think it’ll work this time,” Liam says. “I need to know why, Zayn.”
Zayn doesn’t want to tell him. He knows Liam will let him down easy and then it’ll be awkward forever, so he just says, “I don’t know.”
“Zayn,” Liam says, again. “Please.”
“I can’t tell you,” Zayn says, and his throat feels choked as he does.
The rain surrounding them falls heavier than it seems possible.
Zayn watches as Liam seems to take notice of the weather and then he looks at Zayn in the eyes.
Something seems to click in his head, and then Liam steps forward into Zayn’s space.
Zayn can’t help the quickening of his heartbeat, and up this close, Zayn can smell the familiar musk of Liam’s scent and even in this situation it calms him down.
The sound of the rain quietens into a light pitter-patter.
Liam’s looking down at him and Zayn can see the warmth of Liam’s eyes and it reminds him of happier times.
The rain’s stopped completely, and the sun slowly starts to break through the clouds.
But then Liam steps back.
And Zayn remembers the situation and how those happier times are probably over.
It starts to lightly rain again.
Liam looks at the sky and then back at Zayn.
He steps forward again and this time cups his hand against Zayn’s cheek. Zayn can’t help but lean into it. There’s a warmth in his chest from being this close to Liam.
The rain stops and the clouds break to let the sun shine through.
Liam takes back his hand and steps away. Zayn misses the warmth.
The sun disappears behind a shield of clouds.
“Huh,” Liam says. Zayn can practically see it as everything pieces itself together in Liam’s head.
“Yeah,” Zayn says miserably.
“Is this what Louis meant then?” Liam asks. “When he told me to just look at the sky?”
Zayn nods. There’s a sharp pain in his stomach. This is the moment, he thinks, the moment that Liam’s going to realise Zayn’s in love with him and then leave him.
It’s starts to rain heavily.
Liam’s eyes widen. “Hey what’s wrong?” he says, stepping closer to Zayn and reaching out.
Zayn steps back. Liam’s too kind, Zayn thinks, most people would have let him down already. He wants to tell Liam to just reject him so he can have a start in his heartbreak.
“I’m sorry,” is what he says instead, and he stares down at the floor. He doesn’t want to see the look on Liam’s face.
“You have nothing to be sorry for,” Liam says. And Zayn’s arms hang limp as he lets Liam pull him forward into a hug.
“You don’t have to be so nice to me,” Zayn says. “I’ve ruined everything. If you don’t want to talk to me anymore I’ll understand.”
It’ll hurt to see Liam and not be able to talk to him, to never have his smile directed at him again, but if it’s what Liam wants, then Zayn will do it.
“What do you mean?” Liam asks. “Of course I’ll still want to talk to you.”
Zayn feels relief at Liam’s words but the heartbreak is still there. “You can bring Sophia to our table, I won’t make a fuss anymore. I’m sure she’ll grow on me, she’s very sweet.”
She is sweet. She’s sweet and she’s lovely, and she’s perfect for Liam. Another pang in Zayn’s chest and the rain becomes heavier.
“Zayn, half the things you’re saying don’t even make any sense right now,” Liam says. “What does Sophia have to do with anything?”
Zayn looks up and blinks, confused. “She’s your girlfriend?” he says, but it comes out as a question.
Liam laughs. “What? No!”
“But you’ve been spending so much time with her. And I heard you two talking about her meeting your parents over break!”
“She’s a prefect, babe. Of course we’re going to spend time together. And Sophia actually has a boyfriend, who isn’t me. She’s not coming with me over break.” Liam pauses. “I was actually planning on asking you.”
Zayn’s speechless. None of this makes sense. “W-what?” he stammers out.
Liam chuckles. “I want you to come visit. I talk about you so much that my family wants to meet you,” Liam says, talking fast. “If you want to, of course. I know you want to see your family too so it’ll just be for a bit and then I’ll help you go home.”
The fact that Liam’s rambling on and looks so unsure makes Zayn laugh. “Of course I want to go with you. I’ve wanted to meet your family since forever. I’d spend all my time with you if I could,” Zayn blurts out. He quickly realises what he’s said and he flushes.
“Really now?” Liam says, teasingly, but he’s a bit red in the face too.
Zayn still can’t believe this is actually happening.
“So Sophia’s not your girlfriend?” he confirms.
“Nope,” Liam says.
“And you’re not taking her to meet your parents?”
“Nope.”
“And you’re not interested in her at all?” he asks.
“Nope,” Liam says. “I like you. Only you, babe.”
The rain stops and the clouds retreat.
Zayn realises that Liam’s still hugging him and he wraps his arms around Liam too.
“I like you too.”
“I really wanna kiss you,” Liam says, smiling at Zayn and Zayn, like always, can’t help but smile back.
“Okay,” he says, closing his eyes, and then Liam’s soft lips finally meet his.
Zayn feels the warmth of the sun shining onto his face as he kisses back.
-
“Are you sure this is gonna work?” Zayn asks.
He’s standing the middle of the quidditch field with Harry, Niall and Louis sitting on the grass in front of him. Liam had to quickly sort out a fight between a couple of first years but he said he’d be out in a few minutes.
“Of course,” Louis says. “It’s what was in the book.” When Zayn still looks dubious he adds, “There’s no harm in trying anyway. Don’t wanna stay controlling the weather forever do you?”
This Zayn agrees on. While the weather’s been sunny for the past few days because of his budding relationship with Liam, Zayn would feel more at ease knowing that a bad morning wouldn’t ruin the weather for everyone.
“Alright,” Zayn says. And then he starts shaking his hands, wiggling his fingers and hopping around in a circle with one of his legs in the air.
Liam comes strolling towards them after Zayn’s done a few turns and through his spinning, Liam looks amused. “What are you doing there, babe?” he says.
“He’s trying to break the spell,” Harry replies and when Zayn looks down at the three of them sitting on the ground, all of them look like they’re holding back laughter. He glares at them.
“Yeah,” Niall continues, “Louis said that this dance in an open area when there are no clouds in the sky would reverse it.”
Liam starts to laugh. “Oh really?” he says. Zayn stops his dancing and watches as Liam looks at Louis. “I read something different,” he continues. “I read the spell just reversed on its own after a month. I showed you the book didn’t I, Louis?”
Louis starts to full on cackle and Niall and Harry burst out in laughter as well.
“Not that I don’t appreciate the dance, Zayn,” Liam says, and Louis seems to laugh harder at that.
“You fucker,” Zayn hisses and then goes to lunge at Louis. Louis seems to already know this was going to happen and he’s up and running, still laughing, before Zayn can even reach him.
He hears the laughter of the rest of them behind him as he chases a sprinting Louis, with Liam’s laughter distinct from all the rest.
He laughs along with them as he runs. He feels free as the wind blows against him and when he turns back quickly and sees Liam flash a giant smile at him, crinkly eyes and all, he feels happier than he has in a long time.
The sky stays a cloudless blue.