Well, it is Ned, wasn't enough to completely rid of his jealousy, but he chose to internalize it rather than question her. He didn't like sharing his feelings, and there was no point in doing so while she was openly admitting to fancying him. There was still that question though: what next? He'd spent so long wondering how to navigate his feelings from the safety of his own mind, but never about navigating them... externally. There wasn't much they really could do; they were at school, and boys and girls were forbidden from being alone together in most circumstances, let alone anything that would give anyone the impression that their feelings went beyond friendship. He knew he'd fail miserably at the task of pretending the were just friends if that was the only option, especially when they were alone.
"Nobody can know," he sighed, taking her other hand in his. They were alone in the small corridor outside the common room, and they would have to be alone any time they wanted to acknowledge these... feelings. They couldn't tell Sisse, Calla, Alice, Maddy, Alcyone, and certainly not Ned, who had decided that his duty to his badge was more important than protecting his friends from lost points. "But..." His voice grew quiet, almost bashful, "I wouldn't mind being able to do this when we're alone." He squeezed her hands and smiled; it was already so different from the awkward palm-reading session.
"Unless you don't want to, in which case I understand. Rules and... everything," he added, biting his lip.
"Nobody can know," he sighed, taking her other hand in his. They were alone in the small corridor outside the common room, and they would have to be alone any time they wanted to acknowledge these... feelings. They couldn't tell Sisse, Calla, Alice, Maddy, Alcyone, and certainly not Ned, who had decided that his duty to his badge was more important than protecting his friends from lost points. "But..." His voice grew quiet, almost bashful, "I wouldn't mind being able to do this when we're alone." He squeezed her hands and smiled; it was already so different from the awkward palm-reading session.
"Unless you don't want to, in which case I understand. Rules and... everything," he added, biting his lip.
