Waiting For A Fairytale.

[Raelynn Cox]

Seventh year was busier than any other year she had existed in the castle…but Rae still wasn’t drowning like some students seemed to be. Some of them just seemed to take everything way too seriously. But Rae just wanted to have fun, lead her team to the cup, and score well enough to graduate.

I’m between those things, she filled her time with either the Assbutts or Jay. Sometimes both at the same time…happy as a clam that her friends were so accepting of her boyfriend.

Tonight, the rest of her friends were staying in and Rae herself was on her way to meet up with Jay. Dressed pretty casual, the blonde slipped out the castle and to the grounds. Last year, the two had found a secluded little spot near the lake and dubbed it “theirs”.

And as Rae approached, she smiled widely as the love of her life came into view.

”Hey hot stuff,” she cooed playfully.

[Jay Park]

Jay was probably one hundred percent too young to be thinking about forever the way he did with Rae. When they dated his fourth year, he couldn't get enough of the older Gryffindor, so much so that when they ended things, he couldn't help but chase after her the following school year, too, trying to convince her that maybe they should try dating again. And...this time she didn't show any signs of wanting to end things. Jay counted his lucky stars that she gave him a second chance, and after the summer when Willie and Roni had surprised him and Luke with the arrival of their birthday girlfriends, he really started to think about how much he loved that. How much he loved her. Every time he told her felt like the first time, nerves surging from deep inside...but that was the best part about being with Rae; everything felt exciting and fresh even if it had been done or said a million times before.

Luke had told him toward the end of summer something about Rae wanting to marry him or something...Jay couldn't recount the exact words because his brain just overheated, and he remembered staring at Luke as if he were some alien from outer space, but...the more he thought about it, the more he realized...yeah. He probably could see himself marrying her, too. And this was where the thought of him being entirely too young came in...but he wanted her to know that even when she graduated and they weren't able to see one another every day like they did now, that he was always thinking of her and that he was always hers. Even while she was making her way in the world as a fresh graduate and he was still a lowly student. So...he got to work. Luke went with him almost every evening (those he didn't have time allotted to his own girlfriend of course) to the home ec classroom where Jay created the...not so fancy, not super flashy ring that he was going to give to Rae as...as a promise of sorts. To let her know that once he could afford it, he would get her something nicer. The boys were making some from the music they'd put together, but not enough to afford anything at the moment...and maybe he was a little nervous as he spun the metal on his finger as he walked, but. This was...this was it.

"Hey hot stuff."

"Hey," he said, brushing his hair off his forehead as he approached, not even taking a moment to brush the hair behind her ear and out of her face so he could press a kiss to her lips. He put his hand against her cheek as he pulled away, resting his forehead against hers.

[Raelynn Cox]

The way Jay didn't even pause before pressing a kiss to her lips was...enough to light the largest fire in her belly and Rae just smiled happily as they broke apart. Jay rested his head against her own and Rae wrapped her arms around his neck. She loved him so much it was almost inexplicable.

But she had absolutely no idea what he was planning tonight.

Had she known, she might have dressed a little nicer for him.

But as it was, she was content to just cuddle and make out with her boyfriend under the pale moonlight. Jay was anything and everything she wanted. Rae hardly remembered mentioning anything to Luke over the summer. She had sassily told him something about how she would be his sister in law one day...and they had had a quick chuckle over it.

She had no idea that Luke had then told Jay about it. She had even less of an idea that Jay then took that nugget of knowledge and turned it (along with his own blood, sweat, and tears) into a ring.

"I've missed you...I feel like we haven't gotten to see each other much lately."

[Jay Park]

The longer Jay was with Rae, the more casual he got with things. Kissing her without thinking twice was one of those things. At first he likely would have asked her permission, but he knew how much she liked this way better. He would be a liar if he said he didn’t like it better, too. Or if he said he didn’t enjoy the way she wrapped her arms around his neck and he’d bury his nose into her skin to enjoy the way she smelled for just a moment before they’d part. He pressed a soft kiss to her neck where he’d been nuzzling her before pulling apart as she spoke, running his hand down her arm so he could pull her to sit with him, waving a blanket to appear on the grass again. He’d gotten really good at conjuring this year.

”That’s why I wanted to see you tonight,” he said, putting his arm around her shoulders so he could pull her close as they sat, watching the glassy surface of the black lake. Jay was thankful that it hadn’t frozen over yet - cold and ice always made things feel more final and closed off…whereas open water felt like an invitation. And…that’s…maybe that’s kind of what this was. ”Well, there’s another reason than just missing your pretty face,” he swallowed.

[Raelynn Cox]

That's why I wanted to see you tonight.

Rae grinned, playfully applauding as Jay conjured up a blanket. He was a much more talented wizard than she was witch. Sitting with him, she smiled softly as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her close. The air was cooling, but it wasn't cold enough to freeze the lake just yet. The water still lazily and quietly swayed before them. It was always so peaceful here.

Well, there’s another reason than just missing your pretty face.

Rae lifted her head off of his shoulder to look at him and smiled softly. Leaning in, she kissed him sweetly, her hand coming to rest gently on the side of his neck as she did. As she pulled away, she just smiled.

"And what's reason number two?"

Her tone was playful and light. She had no idea what was on Jay's mind or what he had been working on that had kept him busy. She was just happy to be with him now. She'd never get tired of being with him.

[Jay Park]

Rae kisses were one of the things that could really settle Jay’s mind. It was always running at a mile a minute, and when she kissed him, it was like the world just stopped. He could focus. So when she pressed her lips to his in that moment, his nerves ceased and he relaxed, smiling in tandem with her when they parted.

“And what’s reason number two?”

Jay pulled his hand from his pocket. He held the metal ring in his palm, but didn’t show it to her yet. He felt a little silly, and maybe she’d think he was crazy, but it felt right. ”Well, I’ve been working on something for you,” he held open his palm to reveal the metal ring he’d worked on so hard in home ec; it was a celtic knot. ”The knot represents an eternal connection between two people in love,” he explained. ”I just. It’s not. It’s a promise, really. I can’t imagine my life without you and I think next year is going to be the hardest yet, and not because it's the seventh year. It’s because you won’t be here. And…” Jay looked down at his hands before looking back up at Rae. ”I love you, and maybe when the music picks up I can get you a prettier one, but I wanted you to know that I do want forever with you and maybe I’m crazy…” that much was a given. ”But really, I’m just crazy for you.” He wasn’t about to throw Luke under the bus, but chances were she’d know either way. ”What do you say?”

[Raelynn Cox]

I’ve been working on something for you.

Rae watched her boyfriend curiously. He opened his hand and her eyes fell on a ring in his hand. She stayed quiet, a small smile forming on her lips as she looked to him while he continued to talk.

I wanted you to know that I do want to spend forever with you…

Rae felt her heart flutter and her smile widened. She didn’t need a “prettier” ring. She didn’t need any big diamonds or fancy bands with gem inlays. The cute, absolutely perfect ring that Jay had made her with his own hands was everything to her.

And even if one day Jay bought her a diamond…Rae didn’t think she would ever stop wearing this ring. She’d move it to any finger she needed to.

This was special.

She leaned in, kissing him with every ounce of passion and pure love that she could pull from her being.

”I love you, Jay…I’ll always be down for any crazy thing you want to do together.”

She shot him a wink. A little over a year ago, some sixth years had gotten married over the summer and spent their last year as a married couple at school. So clearly there were crazier things than this.

Rae leaned in, kissing Jay again. The feeling of the smooth metal against the skin of her finger just felt right. Jay had clearly put so much effort into this and it just made it all the more special.

[Jay Park]

Jay...never would have thought Rae would be interested in anything like that with him. She didn't seem like the marriage type, but...Luke had assured him that maybe she just didn't seem like the marriage type with anyone else. So...free evenings when Rae was at practice were spent working hard on it. It wasn't perfect, but...it was a placeholder. And Luke had assured him that she would love it. His twin had been doing a lot of assuring lately - and usually that was Jay's job, for him. He was quite thankful for Luke on a daily basis, and...well...especially now.

”I love you, Jay…I’ll always be down for any crazy thing you want to do together.”

"I love you," he said, sliding it onto her finger. His heart was lodged in his throat - even though she'd accepted his jumble of words, he still felt nervous, like he was doing something so crazy...even though he knew there were crazier things being done. Jay kissed her when she leaned in, and when they parted, he wanted to make sure he added - "I just don't want you to forget me when you're some big quidditch star or travelling, or doing whatever amazing thing you plan on doing when I'm stuck here with Luke and not you," he grinned, holding onto her hand yet, and leaning in to kiss her again.

[Raelynn Cox]

As the smooth, metal ring slid onto her finger, Rae felt like the most special girl in the world. She still didn't know if she deserved Jay. But she was going to do her best every day to show him how special and important he was. She had left him once before...she would never leave him ever again.

She listened to him explain that he didn't want her to forget him next year and her expression softened as her hand came to rest on his cheek. She could never forget him...not even when the were broken up.

"I would never...I could never..."

She leaned in and placed a sweet kiss to his lips, curling up into his side.

"Next year...no matter what happens...I'm going to write to you every day...I promise. I love you so much and I always will."

[Jay Park]

It was kind of funny of Jay to think anyone could forget him, but humble, too. He was loud, obnoxious, and did a lot of things that were really annoying and pretty much everyone knew who he was and that made him pretty unforgettable, whether they knew his name or not. But that wasn't the point. She was going to be out in the world doing her adult life and he wasn't there yet.

He probably could have talked to Luke about it; his brother was going to be going through the same thing.

“Next year…no matter what happens…I'm going to write to you every day…I promise. I love you so much and I always will.”

Jay grinned for a moment before pulling her closer to him. ”I don't know why but a part of me felt like you were going to say no,” he chuckled awkwardly, planting a kiss on the top of her head. Perhaps it was just a bit of residual nerves from when she'd broken up with him the last time…he seemed more forward and into it than she had been, and he wasn't sure if that freaked her out…

[Raelynn Cox]

Rae would never get tired of the way that Jay smiled at her. He'd never really need to tell her that he loved her...so long as she could see his smile. There was always just so much adoration and care in the way he looked at her and grinned. It was her favorite thing.

I don't know why but a part of me felt like you were going to say no.

Rae leaned into him, her hand resting on his chest where she could feel his heartbeat and she just gazed up at him.

"I'll spend forever making sure you never think I'll leave you behind," she promised. Sure, the pair had broken up before. And it was entirely on Rae. But she knew now that living a life without him wasn't a life worth living. He was her soulmate...her twin flame...her person.

She loved him.

A gentle hand reaching up to tilt his face to her, Rae captured his lips with her own and it was clear she didn't plan on pulling back right away. Sure, maybe snogging after a really cute pseudo proposal wasn't what most would do. But Rae didn't look at it like that. She just...wanted to kiss her Jay. A lot. So she was.

[Jay Park]

Jay’s love language was probably words of affirmation - he would be forever telling Rae just exactly what he loved about her. And, of course, that he loved her. He was a goofball and sometimes got himself going so it might have seemed like he didn’t care about anyone but himself, but his personality was just a lot. And perhaps that was why he reminded others how much he appreciated them - Rae, Luke, Silas…even though the latter didn’t seem to appreciate him very much. But that didn’t matter right now. Rae mattered right now.

“I’ll spend forever making sure you never think I'll leave you behind.”

Jay didn’t think much about the time Rae had left him, but now, as he was thinking about his future, he was thinking about it. Did she actually want to be with him? He thought yes - if the last year had said anything to him. She even spent her birthday in Korea with him and his family. He would never leave her behind, and it was…it made his heart feel full to hear her say she would never leave him behind, either.

Rae tipped his face up to meet hers, and he definitely took the moment to scoot in closer to her, putting one of his hands up against her neck, his thumb running on the smooth skin of her jaw as he kissed her. The air was getting a little chillier now that it was getting closer to Christmas, but being there with Rae made him think less about it. He knew he would have to think of a killer gift for the holidays after this…because, obviously, he couldn’t wait. ”I love you,” he reminded her between kisses.

[Raelynn Cox]

Rae and Jay went together like...Peanut butter and jelly...snow and cocoa...sunny weather and a family beach day.

They just made sense. She loved him more than anything in the world...including quidditch. So that spoke volumes. He was her person. He was her soulmate. And he was the one she wanted to share her life with. She wanted to watch him and his brothers as they continued to explore their music passions. She wanted to come home to him after quidditch matches in the pro circuit. She wanted to maybe have a cute little goofball of a baby one day.

The kisses between them didn't stop nor slow...and Rae was okay with that. More than once they'd gotten carried away in this very spot. Hells, this was the spot they shared their first time together at. It was special to her. It would be special even after they both left this school.

But what was more special to her was the man she was with.

Between the kisses, he reminded her that he loved her and that just pushed her on a bit more. Pulling him closer, she whispered a few more sweet sentiments to him before their lips would find each other again.

There would never be anyone else other than Jay Park.