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"What are you doing?"
Theo has been watching Harry for the better part of the last 30 minutes, trying to figure out what on Earth his boyfriend is doing, since it doesn't look like studying for McGonagall's upcoming exam. He's still at a loss.
"Hm? What do you mean?" Harry lifts his head up and shoots Theo the most confused look he's capable of, but Theo thinks he should be the done sporting that look, not Harry.
"Why are you reading the same paragraph over and over, closing your eyes and reciting it under your breath in song form, then peeking back at the text before getting frustrated and starting all over again?"
"Because… it helps me learn the information better?"
"How is that helping? Are you going to sing to McGonagall the difference between Vanishment and Conjuration?" Theo raises an incredulous eyebrow at his boyfriend.
"No, you berk." Harry scowls, then laughs, then hits Theo with a rolled up parchment that Theo is certain is the essay for Professor Snape. Naturally, he lets his boyfriend get the first hit in, before he ducks then slaps the parchment away with a blank look.
"Then?"
Harry shrugs as his cheeks gain an adorable red hue that Theo wants to pepper kisses to so badly he's vibrating with the urge to do it. Unfortunately, they're in the school library and he's sure Madam Pince wouldn't appreciate a pair of fifteen year olds snogging in her sacred realm of knowledge and wisdom.
"It helps me learn things I'm not interested in better. If I'm passionate about something then I can pay attention when it's being taught and I already retain most of the information. I only need to read my notes again or write an essay about it or something, and I'm good," he explains, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously. Theo leans over and pries his hand away, lacing their fingers together underneath the table instead. "But if it's something boring or difficult to grasp, like this passage for Minnie's class, I have to do this . It helps."
"That's the strangest study method I've ever heard of," Theo says and chuckles, but makes sure to rub Harry's hand soothingly to let him know he's not laughing at him.
"As if you don't have your weird quirks," Harry shoots back, rolling his eyes.
"Such as?"
"Every time you get a book from the library, you switch the books on the shelves in their proper order," Harry begins, ticking things off with his fingers as he goes. "You refuse to eat with someone else's cutlery, even if it's mine and even if I rinse it off. You have to have two extra pillows when you sleep, one to keep between your legs and one underneath your arm, otherwise you get no sleep or wake up with back pain. And you always look for me in a room full of people and can't relax until you're next to me."
"That last one is just proof that I love you," Theo counters with a roll of his eyes, though a fond smile blossoms on his face slowly.
"My point still stands," Harry mutters, trying to hide his blushing face with his hair. It doesn't quite work, but Theo is happy to let him do it, seeing as he adores Harry's long, wavy hair when it's loose and gets in his face.
"At least I don't have to turn a textbook into a song to remember the information," Theo teases then laughs outright at Harry's offended expression. He leans forward, unable to resist, and pecks his boyfriend on the lips quickly before Madam Pince can spot them. "Don't worry, I accept you and all your flaws."
"Well, I sure hope so," Harry snarks. "You'd be a pretty shitty boyfriend if you didn't."
"The person who loves you more than me hasn't been born yet, Harry."
"Don't let my family hear that." Harry giggles, a pleased spark shining in his gorgeous eyes, and Theo wants to hear this sound till the end of his days.
"I'll do my best."
Harry's eyes fall back to his Transfiguration textbook and he goes back to his weird song repetition while Theo resumes writing his Charms essay, but their hands remain entwined the entire time. They only break apart when it's time to go down to dinner and they start packing their belongings.
Later at dinner, Theo makes a point to eat a bite of Harry's treacle tart from Harry's own fork, and revels in the surprised and sappy look his boyfriend gives him.