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The library is a calming, quiet place for the students. There are alcoves with pillows for light reading, and comfy armchairs for the heavier topics. Even the desks are low to the ground and conveniently placed to aid students in their studying. Dipper, however, is anything but calm. He’s gone through four pencils already, either snapping the lead or chewing them to bits in his anxiety. The fifth one is already missing an eraser, and Dipper isn’t sure if he swallowed it or it fell on the ground. He doesn’t really care.
He’s engrossed enough in the book in front of him that he doesn’t notice someone calling his name until a hand waves in front of his face. “Oh,” he says, eloquently, and snaps to attention. “Um, sorry, is it important?”
“Wow, rude,” says a voice, “I was just asking if you could help me study for Astrology.” Dipper turns with an embarrassed flush as a sixth year student sits next to him. They have a few classes together, since Dipper has some advanced classes and the other boy had to repeat a few. Dipper scratches his brain for a name, but all the studying has frazzled his memory.
“Sorry, um…”
“Wirt,” says Wirt, and smiles. “Geez, O.W.L.s got you that bad?”
Dipper’s teeth break off another bit of the pencil, and he lays the sad thing down on the desk to avoid further destruction. “Yeah, I’ve really got to do well or I won’t get the N.E.W.T.s I want next year, and then I might not become an Auror, and then my entire life would be over.”
Now Wirt laughs. “That’s a little overdramatic. What are you studying now?”
Dipper flipped to the cover of the book. “History of Magic. We’re just reviewing the same wars we’ve already gone over, but now I’ve got to write something like ten pages on cause and effect and all that flubbery. I thought it’d be more interesting if I related it to what was going on in the Muggle world at the time, but…” He groans and hits his head against the book.
“...Flubbery?” Wirt laughs.
“Is everything I say a joke to you?”
“What? No, I just-”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean that. You’re right, it’s the O.W.L.s. They’re killing me.” Dipper frowns down at the remains of his pencil. At this rate, he’ll have to switch to using the same annoying quills that all the other students used. Wirt pats his shoulder sympathetically.
“It just so happens that History of Magic is my best subject. Mind if I read what you have so far?”
Yes, Dipper does mind. He doesn’t have time for proofreadings and edits, he still has more studying to do once this essay is done. But he looks at Wirt, and Wirt looks so eager, and Dipper is tired. So he shrugs and smiles and says, “Sure, go ahead. No promises it’ll be any good.” He keeps reading the book and jotting down notes (with a new pencil) while Wirt reads through the essay. He hums when he finds something interesting, and tsks when he finds something he doesn’t like. When Dipper steals glances, he notices first a strong frown, and second that the boy next to him is incredibly cute. His ears heat up and he turns his attention back to the paper.
“Okay,” Wirt finally says. “It definitely needs some work.”
“Is it that bad?” Dipper winces. Just those few pages had taken him hours. Wirt shakes his head and holds up his hands placatingly.
“No! No, great concept, it just.. Lacks some structure. You keep jumping all over time and setting when you should be setting the events up in order or when and where they happened” Dipper groans and, again, Wirt pats his shoulder. It sends lightning through his skin. “Hey, it’s okay, I’ll help you.”
Dipper watches, dumbstruck, as Wirt pulls out a scroll from his bag and starts re-outlining the essay. He barely even listens until, again, Wirt waves a hand in front of his face. “Hey, space cadet.”
“How do you even know what that is?” Dipper could have sworn Wirt was a pureblood.
“I watch muggle movies sometimes,” Wirt replies defensively. “Were you even listening?”
Dipper’s face heats up again. “Uh, no, I… why are you even helping me? I know you’ve got N.E.W.T.s to worry about.”
Now it’s Wirt’s turn to blush. “Um, well, um, it’s just…” What a pair they make, both stumbling over their words. “I’ve seen you around, and I really wanted to talk to you, so I thought this was a good opportunity.’
Dipper’s flush only grows darker, and he curses whatever family member passed that trait down. “You wanted to talk to me? Why?”
Wirt chews his lip and looks away. “‘Well, I- You’re- My friend told me- Ah, sorry.” He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. “I just thought you were really cute.”
Dipper’s jaw drops. Was this a joke? Did Mabel put him up to this? No, that was mean, even for Mabel. Wirt opened his eyes and gasped. “Crumb, sorry! I didn’t mean to be so forward. I get it if you’re not interested, I just wanted to talk, and I’ll still help you, and-”
“No, it’s… fine.”
“It is?”
Dipper smiles, a little crooked. “Yeah, I find you cute, too.”
Wirt’s whole face lights up and Dipper laughs. His cheeks are the colour of a Gryffindor’s robes. “Really? That’s great! Cool, cool.”
“I just, can we take it a little slow? Or at least until after exams.”
“Yeah, no, totally.”Wirt is grinning so widely Dipper thinks his face might slip, and he nods. “Whatever is good for you.
“Cool.”
“Cool!”
Awkward silence ensues until they both start laughing loud enough that another student hushes them. Wirt apologises sheepishly.
“Anyways,” he says, “I guess we should work on helping you pass your classes.”
“Yeah, okay,” Dipper replies.