his bag, pulling out a small package. Alfred watched him curiously.

"What's that, Artie?"

"Close your eyes again," Arthur ordered. Alfred obediently did as he said. "Open your mouth."

"You aren't planning on poisoning me, are you, Arthur?"

"Just listen, git."

"Okay, but you're gonna be the one expelled!" Alfred opened his mouth. A second later he tasted something sweet. The American opened his eyes to see Arthur holding a bar of chocolate in his hand.

"Dude, where'd you get that, Honeydukes?"

"That's for me to know, and you to just enjoy. Eat." Arthur smiled and broke a piece of the chocolate bar off for himself and popped it in his mouth. The chocolate was deliciously sweet and smooth.

Alfred smiled. "This is really good!" He munched happily on the chocolate.

"It's my favorite chocolate," Arthur smiled. "My mom used to get it for us on holidays and birthdays."

"Sounds fun!"

"My mom sent me a large bar when this year started." Arthur held the bar up and waved it a bit.

"It's nearly Christmas, how do you have any chocolate left?" Alfred said, incredulously. "I would have eaten it all by now!"

"It's because you're a glutton!"

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"I means you have no control and you eat everything in sight."

"That's not true!" Alfred cried.

Arthur waved the chocolate bar right under Alfred's nose. "Prove me wrong?"

Alfred eyed the sweets in the Slytherin's hand. Arthur was smiling smugly.

"I don't think you'll last much longer, will you?" Alfred glared at the bar of chocolate as if it was a mortal enemy. He pushed it away.

"I totally can control myself, see? Just goes to show you were wrong!" the American crowed triumphantly.

Arthur put the bar of chocolate away, muttering something that sounded suspiciously like, "stupid Gryffindor . . ." Alfred decided to turn hard of hearing at that, instead focusing again on the constellations above them. Something caught the corner of his eye, and he grinned.

"Arthur, dude, look!! Shooting star!" He got to his feet in excitement.

"Alfred, I didn't see it." Arthur peered into the sky as well, craning his neck to try and find it.

"Aw, man, it was too fast . . . but don't worry, I wished on it already!! You get the next one if I can find another, okay?"

Arthur smiled. "Right, I'll keep that in mind. But I think I can find one for myself." Both boys focused on the sky, seeing who could end up finding a shooting star first. About ten minutes into the search Arthur pushed Alfred to make him lose his concentration.

"Hey, no fair, Artie!" Arthur raised an eyebrow.

"You never said there were any rules now, did you?"

"Well-" Alfred huffed. "A true hero wouldn't cheat like that."

"You're just mad because I'm gonna see more shooting stars than you." Arthur smirked, showing off the small gap between his front teeth. Arthur looked back to the purple sky, still smiling, and Alfred watched him with fascination.

No matter how many stars in the sky Alfred saw, they would never surpass the glow and shine in Arthur's eyes, the stars that warmed Alfred's heart and made him want to kiss Arthur until they both saw stars.

One day, Alfred, one day.

"Look, there's one!" Arthur pointed at a star that was streaking across the sky. "Score one for me!" He closed his eyes and seemed to be making a wish. "There. Now we're even."

Alfred smirked. "I'll find more, don't you worry. I will win." 

Alfred fell asleep soon after that promise. They had both sat down after Alfred started complaining about standing for so long, so they sat against the castle wall, the stone warm against their backs. Alfred had slumped over, his head resting on Arthur's shoulder. He had had a long day after all. Arthur was feeling tired too, it certainly wouldn't hurt if he just... closed his eyes for a second...